Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1845-10-30


but they have only spoken Of of the properties
or effects Of life. Suppose we were to describe
horse in this manner TO person who never saw
one, and should tell him horse a capacity
for assimilating oats what idea of the animal wond
the nearer acquire! II is both more honest and
more wise TO admit at once that life is the mystery
of mysteries, and that we canno, fa,hom it. am
willing TO go still further and own tina, have no
expectation that ever will be fathomed. Perhaps
there IS train Of reasoning that will prove il to
be So but there is kind OF consciousness within
that whispers that we are destined never to know
in this world, what life is.
But although it is natural that this check should
both IN medicine and agriculture have rendered the
chemist cautious and slow, should have induced
him to postpone what he would otherwise have has
tened, it is Far from giving cause for despair. We
cannot, indeed, understand what life is, but
know, and the chemists promise us we shall know,
the precise nature Of those things which help or
hurt life. To this compromise OF the matter the
world have consented and the chemists aceor-
dinghy at work.
Aud it is work full Of promise, full Of hope.
Columbus sailed forth, followed by pity for his
madness, or contempt for his folly. Agricultural
Chemistry is cheered onward by the wants and the
blessings Of a loiIing world Columbus launched
forward into dark and stormy abyss. peopled only
with superstious errors. These Chemists have
their own high goal in sight, and every step of
their progress receives It's full insialmcn Of graft
tude aud praise.
But it is not chemistry alone that is to have an
agency. in this regeneration OF agriculture. There
is minute knowledge of all plants 10 be perfect
ed. There is the natural history of all animals,
including the myrads Of insects, yet be studied.
and for this purpose there must be not merely such
an investigation will satisfy the naturalist that
his classification is correct, that his wheat weeyIl
for instance is put in the right compartment of his
cabinet. or the right chapter Of his book. Before
this work is finished every suspicious insect must
be tried as vagrani he must be forced to tell
how he gets his living aud If his habits are Vi
cous a police Of spies must watch for his weak
points and his unguarded moments.
! invite, then, the practical farmer to be the
friend Of science. He can well afford to be SO,
for he has the right to look TO it as the power which
is destined to elevate his calling TO the very first
moved by sheer at shook farming" instead Of
fearing that science will call on him for experiment
aud expenditure, let him remember that science
enables him to be more practical TO try fewer ex-
periments IL is the very province Of science TO
separate knowledge from guess-work. To draw
the boundary line between what is known and what
is unknown. This boundary | admit is not sta.
tionary Il is not Chinese Wall it is rather like
the limit of our own West, moving onward Time
honored errors falling like the venerable forest
trees before the axe Of the emgrant, and there is
sunshine fertility and happiness where they stood
Let no one suppose that we are looking forward
too FAR, or expecting too much. When centuries
of industrious research shall have passed away
this work will be advancing, Ten thousand such
centuries would only find il still in progress We
cannot indeed be perfect. but we may forever adj
vance towards perfection. There is room enough
God for never ending yet never disappointed ef
fort TO advance toward him. Sir Isaac Newton
spoke Of himself as ga child picking up pebbles on
the shore Of the Ocean of knowledge" and it j;
true. and always will be true Of man. That ocean
cannot cross for il is endless It's lowest depth.
we cannot see, for ii is bouomless; but its tide.
have receded, aud will again before him who shall
walk calmly and boldly in he shall visit unhur
what we're once its darkest cayerns, examine the
Thousand fearful wrecks" of others and find
! Wedges of gold, great anchors heaps Of pearl,
" lnestimable Stones unvalued Jewels
| All scattered in the bottom Of the sea-"