The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1849-09-04
From the Boston Traveller.
REMARKS OF MIR. EDWARD EVERETT

Rene the last day of the session ~ me dmercdn 1850
c;ation for he Advancement u Sctence
-. M, President with your permission, for
~ 5;scbarge of a vet unperformed duty. We
~ -. in the hall above, in the earlier part OF
h a., adonted resolutions of thanks 10 the wor
~, af3cers Of the association, TO the citizens OF
- IN y;cinity who have manifested an interest in
the RESTITUTION, and desire TO promote the con-
iance and qualification of the members, and the
objects of the meeting. There sull remains dep'
If his kind TO be acquitted; and propose si, pc
eore take my seat, TO endeavor 10 perform ~ ~
,ooyino a vote of thanks To the ladies who nave
bonored the meetings of the assoclatloh' pc',i ~
al the social table, and IN the sections, WIN u''
presence and countenance 60
BEFORE do this will crave leave 10 say d rev
80 ,,no,, the objects of the association, ana the
character of it's meetings the present year, ms
I shnll do with the greater holiness, even lhough
| NAV be breaking through the regoia'ioh Which
was adopted for very good reasons ui d '',vre
sbould be no speaking at The dinner taoie; we
no 20 reached the last day on which we shall meet
together, and my bad example, IN this respect,
cannot be drawn into an announcement pr'eueh'
for the present year -, tssa
entity 10 saw, that in my humble opinion, the
,ransactons Of the association at It's present meet
inc have been highly creditabe TO It's members ana
10 The science of the country. had an opportunity
in ls4l of attending the annual meeting OF SINH
lar association at Florence, consisting OF between
nine hundred and thousand OF the men oil science
of Italv and the neighboring countrles ana IN the
wears 1912 lS44, and lS45, enjoyed similar OPP
nortunity in reference to the meetings OF the BRUSH
Association for the promotion OF Science Happears
N me that in the scientific character oil s proceed
ings at the present meeting the American Assoria-
ton will compare advantageously with those OF Eu-
rope The number of men OF science IN attendance
il much less; but think the volume OF TINS year
Transactions when published, VIII show proper
tionably as large number OF communications, on
Interesting and important topics, IN most OF the de-
narrnents of science, and exhibiting as iluch oflg
hal research and sound speculation as the annual
reports of any of the European associations.
make this remark with the less hesitation, because
have myself borne no other part IN the scientlhc
I,hors Of the association than that oil a grained
and instructed listener; and also because among
the circumstances which have enabled the associa-
ton TO present such fair ground OF comparison win
its European contemporaries, no one can forget
that European talent OF the nisHe7t oin'' AZ !" ~
found in ranks"
think no one sir could have attended any con-
sider bic number of the meetings OF the association,
and witnessed its course OF operations, put Lius'
have been satisfied, If he had doubts before, OF he
utility of such an institution. meeting oil sclen'
tific men from every part OF the Union, WIN the
opportunity thus afforded for entering INTO frendly
personal relations is itself object oil no mean I'M
portance, especially in country so large as ms
and destitute of any one great metropolis III can :
not have escaped any ones observation that much
time labor and skilful research, must have been
devoted the preparation OF many oil the memoirs,
which il s highly probable would not nave peeh
heetowed upon scientific pursuits, under other CIR
cumstances Much is gained, at all times, by the
actual presence of the instructor, and the ANNA
ton OF the living voice An impression Is maze py
them which is rarely producedby the llieless page
of the printed volume. do not, OF course, mean
that lecturing can take the place OF study; but
il is an admirable assistant Then, too the meet
ings Of the associs ton possess the advantage OF al
foruing in the discussions TO which the memoirs are
subjected an opportunity for the friendly colslon
e md he
ions which nothing but oral discussion can yleld
These topics might be easily expanded, but think
| should undertake very supernuous ofhce should
| endeavur more in detail, on the present occasion,
N act forth the usefulness of institutions of this kind
am aware that il has been objected 10 them at
homo and abroad, that they do not lead To the dls
covery of truth The question Is frequently asked,
in reference TO the great European associations oil
this kind, what discoveries have been made oy
them? Well, SIR in this demand for discoveries az
the test Of usefulness the part OF associated or
individual effort there IL no little vagueness and
rood deal of injustice. IL appears 10 me quite un-
reasonable as an exclusive test Of utility, 10 demand
either of scientific bodies, OF single votarles oil
science that they should make discoveries. II oy
discoveries We mean matters of fact before un-
known such as the discovery of the existence oil the
American continent, or OF the planets Uranus OF
Neptune or Of the effect Of vaccination, II woulc
be shutting up the domain OF science within very
narrow limits, TO exclude from II all Dut Nef.
few who 20 the greatest sagacity and generaly ais
fortune II We set up this standard, we shoulC
strike al the root not merely Of this association, bu
OF almost every other speclnc form oil sclehilh'
action. Discoveries such a. ] mention are hSSes
sarily. more or less casual in their immediate
origin Or rather there Is a happy nspiraton-aI
unexplained inexplicable kindlng ofmind-whici
no logic can teach, no discipline certainly Produ'e
That the globe spherical was not hrst concelNee
bv Columbus-how happened il that he first formed
the nractcal conception Of reaching the Indies by
sailing 20 the West, The pcrturbatiofs OF Uranus
have been studied by astronomers Tor quarter oil =
renturv-what inspired Leyerricr and adams alone
with the happy thought OF deducing from them 'h'
.xistence of an undiscovered planet;
II We use the term "discovcry,' IN reference u
great general Laws Of nature such a. the Cpperni-
can system, the attraction OF gravlttuon, the re-
lations Of electricity and magnetism ueh thc uh
resemblance of Directing 20 scientific associations
that they have not produced and are not likely ic
produce such results, IL still more apparent De
coyeries 81 this kind even though apparently refer
able 20 single authors, 90 particular periods OF ume
and 10 distinct OF research, are - only lh
limited degree They are the product Of the whol'
condition Of science at the time they are IT. con-
sumrnate flower, IL ripened fruit. Such discoye-
ries strike their roots far into the pss they are not
made they have grown. The preparation OF cen
turies has gradually opened the way for them
hundreds Of minds have taken part in the discovery
hundreds Of years before il j. made. AZ length th'
world Of s,ience il ripe Tor the grand result tn
fnlness Of time 10 come. the gifted genius dcstncC
/, put the last hand 70 the work u born, and tn
ndisrOyery" IL made; not seldom, perhaps, m pop
ular acceptstOn, with an evaporation u IL a1so
Lutte nos. ity, an overratinR Of the originality o th
discoyerer and consequent injustice ~ his prede
cesson Pope beautifully says:
Mature and Natures laws lay hid in night
God said let Newton be;'-and all wa light"
This certainly IL very happily said, by way o
epigramnlatic eulogy; but il would not bear scien
tffc examination. The illustriou- philosopher. a
lust and modest be Wss great, did not 80 deem q
himself Were the laws Of nature wholly hidde
in darkness before the time Of Newton Had 60
pernicus, Tycho, Kepler, Calico, thrown no ligh
upon them
So TOO, and perhaps this is q still more imPoran
reflection after the discovery Of some such genera
law l. made the work Of science b. by 10 mean
exhausted. Even ri we're true that scientific as
socistions had no tendency 20 promote discovery
in either sense Of the word, u might still b. mat
Ter Of great importance that they furnish occasion
and facilities Tor illustrating and dIfiusing NOR
widely the knowledge Of the great laws Of nature
This i 2 point on which, II time permitted, and
we're addressing an audience Of young men VII
needed encoura Rements 81 engage with srdOr ~ tl
pursuit Of science, I would gladly enlarge. wOul
sav 90 them, fear not that the masters who ha'
rome before you have reaped the field Of science
tborouohly. ~ 20 leave neither harvest nor giear
ing for their successOrs True, indeed, the NcwtOf
have lived and taught, not 70 suPersedc and rcnd'