100 SCIENCE IN THE UNITED STATES. 
cle to the cultivation of the sciences, even in the New England 
states. Taking the Union as a whole, the principal difficulty evi- 
dently lies here. The young men abandon their studies early in 
life. They change their residence and profession again and again, 
hoping for greater and more speedy gains. Savants whose learn- 
ing does not extend to trade stand strangely alone in a society 
thus devoted to the production of all mercantile commodities. 
The inventive genius of Americans also gives the preference to 
applications which do not strictly belong to science. I need only 
repeat here what a very distinguished American savant said 
recently at the opening of a session of the scientific association of © 
the United States.* Moreover, to be just, and to reply to certain 
European notions founded on a superficial knowledge of the peo- 
ple of the United States, it will be well to add one remark. It is 
not through greed of gain and of material pleasure that the Amer- 
icans throw themselves with such ardor into lucrative pursuits. 
They are quite capable of sacrificing their interests to ideas, as 
we have seen in their great civil war. It was surely for the inter- 
est of both parties that they should then, by means of mutual con- 
cessions, continue to live in peace; but the south held to the orig- _ 
inal sovereignty of each state, the north to the present and future 
agerandjzement of the United States, and a portion of the people 
aimed at the abolition of slavery. They sacrificed everything to 
sentiments and ideas. When a few hundred men can be found 
among the Americans, as zealous for the advancement of science 
as their volunteers were for political opinions, they will make 
marvellous progress. It is not activity nor intelligence which 
they lack: it is the will to apply themselves to that which brings 
_ in no return, and which is not in sympathy with the popular tastes 
is 
_ *“ Prue, it h y given to the world many a master work, in the arts of peace 
and the arts of war; the steam mboat, the cotton gin and the sewing machine; the prat” 
_ tical application of the electric telegraph , and the means of its printed record; 
most agai form yet attained for the steam engine e and the steam boiler; ci 
the telescopes of Clark an 
the SSC ma Spencer and Tolles, and the means of annihilating pain. » - - . 
_ What I chlo adr deme whatever may be the claims of our coun untry to have 
her part " the furtherance so far as depends upon the solution of 
political problems and a vancement in the arts, her couesteeiien 
mi pace with these; nor, indeed, with those of several ; European 
rahia in 
she: 
i i andolle quotes from an } ; 
cones sae | appeared in the Gazette Médicale de Paris, May 20, 187 he 
rea delivered in 180, not D 15 as stated by DeCandolle.] 
