356 Editors’ Table. [April 
EDITORS’ TABLE. 3 
EDITORS: E. D. COPE AND J. S. KINGSLEY. 
THE judicial attitude in all things is, in the present stage of 
human development, a far from common accomplishment. Phi- 
-losophy, however, requires it, and scientific men should be, if 
possible, philosophers. But it is precisely this class whose phi- 
losophy is most frequently put to the test by their fellow-men. 
To a majority of the human race the intellectual life is a shadow 
not worth pursuing, and those who pursue it are correspondingly’ 
disesteemed by them. The defect of the intellectual type of 
mentality in a community is a stage of development which is 
the parent of better things or worse things. From it may arise 
a society of philosophers, or of religious devotees, or of Helio- 
gabali and Vitellii. That the type of face that characterized the 
last of the imperial family of Rome is appearing in our streets 
is quite evident, and it will require the exertions of the devo- 
tional and intellectual classes to prevent it from becoming still 
morecommon. That Brother Jonathan should come to resemble 
a Nero would be an unexpected metamorphosis; yet signs are 
not wanting that such a degenerative process is not impossible. 
The unintellectual materialism which characterizes the majority 
of the wealthy classes of Americans will be watched with serious 
curiosity. Some of the wealthy will direct their stored energy 
to the improvement of their race; others will expend it in 
degenerative processes. Which type will prevail ? 
e excellent services of the religious world in directing 
human activity away from destructive channels should be per- 
ceived and sustained by the scientific community. Nevertheless, 
it cannot but be lamented that the work of the churches is often 
more profitably directed to instructing the people as to what they 
should zot do, and not sufficiently clearly as to what they should 
do. It is in the latter direction that weakness is often apparent. 
Nevertheless, the influence of the churches in this direction also 
is of incalculable benefit. 3 
_ It rests with the scientific world to bring out the facts of the 
_ universe, or, in other words, the truth. And knowledge of the 
truth is the only safe guide as to what men shall do and what 
