Herald of the times. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1830-1846, 1833-07-11
WHOLE NO. III.

yatlon of facts, (the almost constant at
tendant upon scientific cqurements)h has
led to surprising conjectures, which
have ended in the demonstration Of equal
ly surprising truths. Let me avail NV
self of one or two illustrations, which
have been already noticed by others IA
better to my purpose, than any which
my own memory could furnish. In the
course Of Sir Isaac Newton's expert
ments to ascertain the laws of optics, he
was led, from the peculiar action of the
diamond upon light, TO express an opin-
ion that it was carbon, and capable Of
ignition, and not belongin to the class
of crystals. That conjecture has in on,
day been established, by chemical ex-
periments, to be fact. He made the
discovery also Of The compound nature a
light, and that its white colour arises
from mixture of all the various colours.
This has LED 10 various ingenious i'm
provemcnts in the formation Of the lenses
of telescopes, by which modern astrono-
my has been able to display tho heavens
III new beauty and order. When Frank
lin, by close observation, had established
the Adentlty OF lightning with the electric
spark, he was Immediately led to the
practical application Of his discovery, by
ascertaining the relative conducting pow
er of various substances, so as to guard
our dwellings from its tremendous agen-
cy. The galvancic battery, to which we
are indebted for 50 many discoveries in
chemistry, owes its origin to an appa-
rently trivial circumstance. The disco
verer's attention was drawn to an inves-
! tg alton Of the cause of the twitching Of
a dead frogs leg; and by patient aud la
borious experiments, he was at length
conducted to the discovery Of animal e.
lectricity.
The polarization Of light, as it is cal
led, that is, the fact that rays of light
: have different sides, which have differ
ent properties Of reflection, is discove-
, ry in optics Of very recent date, which it
is said, els so fertile in the views it lays
open OF the constitution Of natural bod
les, and tho minuter mechanism Of the
universe, as to place it in the very first
rank Of physical and mathematical sci
ence." 1t was discovered by the French
philosopher, Malus, as late as in 1910,
by various minute and delicate expert
ments, and has already led to very ex-
traordinary results.
Indeed, such is the quickening power
!. of science, that it is scarcely possible,
that its simplest germ should be planted
in the human mind, without expanding
into healthy growth. 1t generates as it
, moves on, new thoughts, and new enqui-
I ries, and is forever gathering without ex-
= hausion, and without safety. The Curl
; osity which is once awakened by it, ne
r yer sleeps; the genius, which is once
IS kindled at its altar, burns OH with an un.
v extinguishable flame.
e 1t has been remarked, that such was
d the progress of astronomical science, and
IT wards the close of the seventeenth CEN
- tury, that if Sir Isaac Newton had never
e lived, his. splendid and invaluable disco
a veries must have been in the possession
t of the succeeding age. The approaches
S had been SO near, that they almost touch
G ed the very verge Of the paths, which
e his genius explored, and demonstrated
s with such matchless ability. Ifthis were
l. true in respect to that branch Of physica
# science, it is far more strikingly true in
= respect to mechanics. The struggle here
, in respect to priority Of inventions, is Of
r ten so very close, that single day some
, times decides the controversy.
, i 1t is from considerations Of this ma
I ture-that, what has been, must contin-
: ue to be; that art is never perfect, and
nature is inexhaustible that science,
, while it is the master of art, is itself ult-
, mately dependent upon it; that the intel
, lectual power grows up in all stations,
and in all soils that, all other c'rcum-
{ stances equal, he, who knows and prac-
{ tices, must forever take the lead OF him,
[ who merely knows, and has none oi the
, skill to apply power, or the practcai sa-
: gacity to overcome difficulties th2t ne,
: whose interest is indissolubly connected
= with his science, and who feels at every
e turn the anima,ing impulse OF reward, as
q we'll as the pleasure Of speculation, and
n the desire Of fame, has more enduring
a and instant motives Tor exertion, than ne
who merely INDUCES his leisure, or his
i curiosity lit is, l. say, from these con-
siderations, that l deduce the conclusion,
Tint when the artisan and the mechanic
q shall have become instructed in science,
The inventions of this class will be more
numerous, more useful, more profitable,
, and more ingenious, than those Of any
other class, and even perhaps Of all 9th
er classes Of society.
What an aHimating prospect does TINS
|, afford! What noble ends to poor, neglect
: ed, suffering genius! What constant com,
: fort to cheer the hard hours oil iapoI, anu
{ the heavier hours oi despondehcy',-
: Much less of success IN lie 's 10 reaihy