582 MODERN METHODS OF SCIENCE. 
would arrogate to represent its bearings equally upon the spiritual 
world. This being the case, it behooves us to guard well our 
thoughts, words, and acts, else they may do science and ourselves 
injustice, and misrepresent both Nature and Nature’s God. 
We are all searchers after truth: but let us be careful that we 
do not mistake what truth is, and be beguiled into following some 
fatal error which has simply borrowed the garb of truth, and com- 
pletely enveloped itself in it, so as to hide its own deformity. 
Error has often glimmer enougli to dazzle the sickly eye of the 
enthusiast ; truth itself shines with sufficient brightness to be seen 
by the most jealous among scientists. 
While it would not be out of place to review the activity of 
American science for the benefit of: the general public, yet it 
would occupy too much time, and I will merely refer to it to show 
that our Government is fully alive to the value of well-directed 
scientific labors. The Government never hesitates to encourage 
the most thorough investigations by scientific men into all mat- 
ters that are likely to benefit the people or advance those great 
scientific investigations which are of a more abstract character. 
Witness the care and liberality with which it encourages that 
corps of scientists engaged in the gigantic enterprise of the coast 
survey in all its various departments; its liberal appropriation of 
money and means to observe those great astronomical phenom- 
ena, such as solar eclipses, the transit of Venus, etc., which, while 
they may not be attended with any immediate material advantage 
to the Government, yet serve to instruct our people in those 
higher and nobler aspirations after great natural truths which 
must inevitably result in unfolding to us the riches of our land, 
teeming with every diversified beauty of mountain, valley, and 
plain, seas, lakes, and rivers, and, beneath her surface, with all the 
variety of wealth that Nature seems to have been able to produce. 
While the older portions of the world are making serious calcula- 
tions, and even looking forward with gloomy forebodings to the 
time when their soil and rocks will cease to give wealth to toil, our 
‘soil and our rocks are but just being turned up to reveal wealth 
tenfold greater than the world ever knew before. But in the midst 
of all this abundance let us feel assured of one thing; it is so placed 
that no sluggard can stretch forth his hand and partake of it. 
~ The wealth of America means toil. And perhaps in this we 
a ate eyen r more blessed than we sometimes are disposed to to think; 
. 
