AmFeb'i§5.arm'}     World's  Columbian  Exposition,  etc.  91 
ciate  the  details  nor  impress  others  with  the  possibilities  that  was 
here  presented  for  a  most  remarkable  and  unprecedented  educational 
exhibit  of  scientific  methods  and  results.  Here,  as  in  so  many  other 
cases,  the  evil  was  increased  by  the  perversion  of  the  public  taste, 
which  causes  work  to  be  admired  not  in  proportion  to  their  fitness 
for  their  purposes  or  the  skill  evinced  in  attaining  that  fitness,  but 
in  proportion  to  their  size  and  cost. 
The  last  quarter  of  this  century  has  witnessed  a  most  remarkable 
development  of  specialization  of  labor.  With  the  death  of  Mr. 
Darwin,  we  might  say,  was  the  extinguishment  of  the  last  scientific 
light  that  was  able  to  illuminate  equally  well  any  and  all  depart- 
ments of  science.  And  as  for  the  affairs  of  the  world  at  large,  it 
has  been  many  centuries  since  we  have  had  the  men  of  whom  it 
might  be  said  "  they  have  mastered  all  the  knowledge  of  this  day."* 
And  so  in  this  discussion  of  the  botany  of  the  World's  Fair,  while 
we  criticise,  for  to  discuss  was  to  criticise,^  we  do  not  belittle  the 
efforts  of  these  gentlemen,  for  under  the  circumstances  we  do  not 
feel  possibly  that  we  ought  to  have  expected  of  them  more  than  we 
do  of  a  student  upon  his  commencement  day. 
We  hope  that  this  is  the  last  of  the  great  general  World's  Fairs. 
They  may  be  very  interesting  and  of  some  profit  (like  the  displays 
in  our  large  stores  during  the  holiday  season)  to  the  average  mind, 
but  they  do  not  receive  the  support  or  the  attention  of  the  highest 
intellects  in  the  contribution  of  their  best  work.  And  this  best 
work  in  every  department  where  skill  is  demanded  will  at  the  same 
time  do  the  average  person  infinitely  more  good  (just  as  a  college 
education)  than  the  showy  and  often  tastily  executed  exhibits  of  a 
general  nature,  attended  with  simply  one's  own  interpretation  are 
largely  intended  as  a  means  of  commercial  advertising.  It  is  not 
my  purpose  at  this  meeting  to  expand  upon  this  subject,  but  suffice 
it  to  say  that  we  believe  there  should  be  in  the  future  expositions 
having  more  a  specific  character.  In  the  exposition  of  a  scientific 
nature  there  should  be  a  council  composed  of  the  most  renowned 
and  most  capable  scientific  men  who  should  be  given  sufficient  time 
and  who  should  have  the  same  means  at  their  disposal  as  this  Expo- 
sition Committee  for  securing  the  contributions  and  support  of  the 
best  institutions,  societies  and  individuals  of  the  world.  Further- 
more these  exhibitions  should  be  periodic  and  yet  in  a  certain  sense 
made  as  permanent  as  possible,  so  that  additions  and  corrections 
