The daily Minnesota pioneer. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1854-1855, 1854-08-18
Genesis Of Science.

We take pleasure in laying before our read
crs the following interesting passage from Il
mastery article on the Genesis %! Science
which appeared in the BRITISH Quarterly Re
rter for July The author traces the meas
urcmcnt Of force, time and extension. from sag
geStions of organic bodies
Thus. among linear measures. the cubit of
the Hebrews was the length Of Tic forearm
from tie elbow to the end of the middle finger ::
and the smaller scriptural dimensions are cX-
pressed in haml-6reGdfts and spdis. The Ecyp-
tan cubit, which was similarly derived. was
divided into di@its, which were fngey-JreaJtAs;
and each finger-breadti was more definitely OK
pressed as ben" equal TO four g1ujns # t0tier
placed brcadthwise. Among other ancient
measures were the orgvia or Stretct IF The
nyms, the pee and the pain. SO pcrSi9ton,
has been the Use of these natural units Of
length IN the East. that even now some Of the
Arabs mcc out cloth by the forearm. SO.
too it is with European Pleasures The foo.
prevails as dimension throughout Europe.
aud has done since tie tine Of the Romans. lv
whom, also. it was uscd-its lengths in differ
cnt places varying not much more than mems
feet vary. The inch is the length of the ter
minal JOINT of the thuhnt, US is clearly shown
IN France, where ponce means beth thumb and
inch. Then we have the inch divided into
three borel-ccT"S. 50 completely. indeed.
have these organic dimensions served as the
substrata Of all n!cnsuration. that it is only by
means CT them that we can form any estimate
Of some of the ancient distances For exam
pie. the length of q degree on the eartl'5 St,r-
face, as determined 10y the Arabian astrono-
nicr5 shortly after the death Of IIaroun-al-lt ;-
schid. was tilty-six OF their miles. We know
nothing of their mile further tran that it was
4,0O0 cubitS and whether these were sacred
cuhiiS or common cuhits would remain doubt
fiji. bat that the length. Of The cul,it j. given
as tW"nty->cvcn inches and each inch defined
As tie thickness Of SIX barley-era.s. Thus
one OF the earliest measurements OF Il Gyowct
come, down to Us in bar.cy -g: aims Not on!v
dil! organic lengths furnish those apprGXima:e
measures which satisfied mems ncc!s in ,rt.it.r
ages. but they furnished also the standard Tor
measures required i'll late. times. One in.t;.i.ce
occurs III our own history. 70 remedy tie ir-
regular ties then prevailing. Henry l. COM
mtnd;d that Tie alma. Or ancient ell which an
SWefs to the modern yard. should be made Of
the exact length of his own G3Aa
Measures Of weight again had 4 like ls.riva-
ten. Seeds seem commonly TO lave supplied
The unit The original oi the carat used for
weighing in India is Il small Ican. Our Own
systems: both troy and avorlupos, arc derived
primarily from Uheat-cCrns. Our smallest
weight, the grain, is Il grain Of whl@ This is
not Il speculation: it is an histori, ally renis-
tered fact. Henry III. enacted that an ounce
should be tie weight Of Gao dry grains Of wheat
from the middle of the car. And as all the
other weights are mltitirIcs CT sul-mu!,i pies of
this. it follows that the grain Of wheat is The
basis Of our scale. So natural is il to use o.
GAME bodies as weights, before ar;.ii, ial
Weights have been established. or where they
are not to be had, that in some OF the r2n.ottr
parts OF Ireland tie people are said to be in
the habit, even now. Of putting Il man into the
staie> to serve &, I, measure for heavy comiGo-
tic