New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1850-08-24


The opposite principle would be % act uo,nt ae
present az well "a the absent aad 70 b. enscsire
should be reduced 70 system. Either ali 7sutoie
papers should Be published 81 full extent or none
rsould be 90 pnblished-or Z selection shoad be
Z sde. Il sbosld b.. understood that sn abstract
only Of sny or eli valuable papers would De pub
hshed, ard that abstracts Of al would b msde or
should be furnished By tie authors. The d,scln
sions are frequently OF as mach vaoe az the pa
pers, ana yet mary Of them do pos appear a. all Or
II appearing, are without the life which reauy cos
rac;erzes them. l. wasG distinguishing feature
Of the Charleston meeting, that when the branches
Of science inierlocked, the discussions wers OF the
nc,t useful character aud yet all these are neess
sariy lost in the proceedings ana that by no t4ls
Of those he have 80 ably aud zealousiy lAoorsd IN
their publication, but from want OF rules and a.
raDgement Of the Association itself To avoid IT.
regularity, we might publish written papers, IN
which case We would be interfering with sstAb-
hshed Societies or We might publish only ao-
sirIcts OF written papers, leaving their publication
in full extent TO other Societies IL is easy % see
that there are object ins b either course bat 10
may be well TO consider whether either is not bet
ter than neither. OF the oral communications, Il
u our rule, that abstracts thb be furnished by the
authors. But how Intellectual 10 this rule tbs num-
Der OF tides In all our published proceedings OF
communications with the remark abstract not re-
ceived, will sufficiently illustrate. The Secrets-
rles OF the sections, appears 10 me, should regu'
larry make the abstracts Of both written aud oral
communications, ard ia such extent that II no sb-
strsct is furnished by the author, this may stsndNs
a substitute.
The labor thus involved would be considerable
bat dividing IL amopg considerable numosr, Il
would fall lightly upon any one Beside, there are
always those who like such labor or at least are
willing TO encounter il for the improvement 10 anal
yss which il gives, from q desire 10 do good from
q sense Of duty and from various worthy motives
As to the discussions, Are they fully presented In
ykak - I'D
regard to them generally 10 not full report, such
a. the admirable systems OF s.enography afford, bat
discriminating, brief and pointed note such as Gao
only he eiven by person who understands the sub
jet. In any single section, What one OF as c)ad
undertake to give an account OF the DISCUSSIONS on
all the subjects which come, and IL We pass from
section to another, how impossible wouldt DO tor
the best informed 10 succeed In such an attempt
IL appears h me worth consideration, whether We
may or may not make more effective arrangements
for printed accounts OF written ard oral commani-
cations, and Of discussions, than those which We
have heretofore had
g. The meetings in sections 10 perhaps indspen-
sable 10 the dispatch OF business. Al Charleston,
where we had probably one hundred members IN
attendance. il was not necessary and we found
great advantage in the discussion Of subjects where
the different lines OF science crossed eac0 other
Thus the apparentsubsdenceo of the Coast OF south
Carolina and the temperature OF the Artesiau
Wells Of Alabama brought out physical facts aud
reasoniDgs OF interest, while the communications OF
Lieut. Maury on the currents In the Atlantic, OF
Prof LIE COnte on the exudatlon OF ice from the
s.ems Of vegetables and others called out cores
ponding contribution from the naiuraists Asthese
remarks are reported 10 but fe cases. avery im.
ortantfeature and one which rendered toe meeting
perhaps more interesting and useful than any other
single feature, does not appear Ia the published
procs edings IL il not worth considering whether
without losing the advantage Of division by which
time In no doubt saved and too much populsrizIng
OF the subject avoided, could not in certain cases
have the advantage of general meetings for the
reading OF papers. II abstracts Of all communica
tons were prepared beforehand and forwarded to
the Standing Committee, they could select such
communications as 10 was deemed desirable 10 have
presented in general meetings, but their labors
would thereby be greatly increa sed and those ofthe
members in similar degree.
T. Is it desirable or not 10 increase the interest OF
The public In our meetings BY deyotng portion OF
our time 10 popular accounts Of new subjec The
meetings OF the Association at Cambridge include
meetings ofthe Sections which strictly scientific,
general meeting at which accounts Of the proceed.
iDgs OF the Sections are given by the Chairman OF
EACH general business IL transacted and particular
subjects presented by members chosen by the Gen.
erA Committees for the purpose. This though strict
y belonging 20 The diffusion Of science may not be
found TO be pre- judicial 10 its Advancement IL has
good ard evil involved in IT, May not the good pre-
dominated
). The liberality of the ciy authorities Of Charles
ton assumed the payment Of the expenses Of the
meeting includir the publishing Of the proceed
ings This left our treasury untouched, and indeed
made the Asso siston gamers financially ~ well as
intellectually The subject Of increasing tho gen
eral contribution by members absent as well as
present, was talked Of informally, and was re-
quested to suggest its discussion by the Standing
Committee a. The present meeting.
There was one circumstance In this meeting
which gave me pain-hrst q shock OF surprise,
then unauoyed pain. IL was to see that science
which had always considered the fast friend and
natural ally OF religion, was In soms OF Its paths or
in some turns and windings and seeming ends OF
those paths, REGARDED with picon by the relgl'
Gus. The able address OF DR.. Il. w. GIbbes Of Co
lambda, yihdicatiDg Geology from suspicion OF lead.
ing to nidelty was not written without abundant
and indeed urgent reasons derived from clrcun'
stances In the midst OF which be 10. In observing
European science, one of the facts which struck
me most fo'cibly and agreeably, was the connection
in ENGLAND throl gh her University education, be-
tween Science and helig on, 90 that some OF The
most eminen t men were ministers OF both. thought
i. gave higher aims, higher tone 10 science and
scientific men, 70 be thus devoted 70 relgion,-the
moral and religious mao being developed at the
same tine with the intellectual supposed tne tine
had long gone by when the study Of Gods Works
could be supposed 10 lead away from the revelations
Of bis WOrd,-thas the language which heard last
Sunday from p0l pa In this CITY, was oil common
consent and accepsance,-" Science /, no ally 20
Scepticsm7 1t is nevertheless true that lesser
wave Of the same class with that which rose 20
oyerwhelm Geology some twenty years SINGS,
sweeps with considerable force over the Southern
portion Of cur Union and requires 20 be stay cd With
Judgment to subsidence, unless by making III
shaped and untimely obstacles, we raise It 10 the
high. and force Of oreaking-a daDgerous exPsn
ment for those who mus. me t the shock TIE pro-
eress Of science 10 toward truth, bat h1E distant
The goa. We think we discern clearly, bat the
med Jun changes and objects assume new colors,
forms and proportions
One age teaches cycle and epicycle for ruth. and
makes the earth q fixed center. Anosasr ap
breaches near the truth and sh1ES the law which
ministers the will Of Him who made all things and
US. TO give way 10 iss turn 10 some higher truth
Science is emu he icaliy progressive. Who woad
be 30 inoscreei as 70 hinge bis religious faith upon
ehsugesble, progressive Science. msster has