Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1852-1859, 1856-02-01

tic man against one who has rendered himself
usefuland eminent by the practical application
Of science tothe wants ofsociety There is no
proper antagonism here, end tits most unwise
to attempt to disparage any such application by
faint praise and by characterizingit as "in itself
a simple matter and involving no great scienti-
hc attainment Its the glory. ofsuchy discover
les that they are simple. 1t is to the discredit
of scientific men that they do not discover such
simple" things. wonder that Prof Henry in
making this remark, did not think of the story
of Columbus and the egg. Your men ofseience
thouuht the discovery of America a very simple
affair, but why did they not think of iR TWAS
well known to scientific men that the rays Of
light would blackenthe salts of silver, why then
did they leave it to Daguerre to invent the beau.
tiful art that bears his name? Philosophers I'M
cerstood the yaporization of water-why then
did they leave it to Capt Sayary to invent the
isteam-engine, and to the ingenious Watt to i'm
proyeit, and to the projectors Fitch and Fulton
to apply it to navigation? scienceha been long
familiar with the anatomy of the human body
why then was SO simple discovery as the circu-
lation Of the blood reserved for the observant
sagacity of Harvey so late as 1929 might
speak of the discoveries of Franklin who was by
no means man of great i6cattainments"
and Of his simple application of known facts
to practical purposes ofthefnventionso aperand
printing, and indeed, ofaimost all the useful arts;
but forbear lest from the very obvious fact that
the science aud seientifcmen, so exaItedin Prof.
Henry's estimation, had little or nothing to do
with them, the reader might be disposed to I'M
dervaue the latter, seeing that those men ofsci-
ence we're too much occupied with their own
superior attainments to condescend to invent or
discover such simple" matters.
Doubtless, science has its value. It is indis-
pensabIe to the regular and successful progress
of art 1t accumulates facts, deduces general
laws, explains processes and phenomena, gives
certainty to calculations of results, and secures
economy in the use of materials. Truly scicn-
tifc men are to be highly priced, but what is too
often wanting to them is the ability to perceive
tho practical use which may be made of their
stores of information; or, rather that far-seeing
sagacity which, with prophetic vision, can an
ticipGte discovery, and, while the shadow ofap-
preaching truth fits across their mind, knows
how to secure the reality by those simple and
direct means which are just at hand. 1t is for
want of this that a mere man of science, as, for
instance, scientific chemist, may labor for his
life, with the aid of the most extensive appara-
tus, in the performance of the most expensive
experiments, and hayeall the illumination which
even the Smithsonian Institute can afford him,
without giving anything Of real practical ORE even
of much scientific value to the world; while a
mere experimenter in Philosophy, like Priestley,
with few simple and clumsy instruments, can
render his name immortal by the practical ben
efits which his brilliant discoveries bestow upon
| both science and mankind.
Comparedwith the unelucatedmass, scientific
men are quite too few in number; but they are
multitude when compared with men of the
seeing eye and the understanding heart. 4 Origi-
nal thinkers among them are few indeed, and
when the world finds one who has the practical
sagacity which enables him to effect great and
good ends by simple and inexpensive means, it
does we'll TO honor him; and twill justly assign
to him rank far above that Of the mere man Of
science, and give him position which the en-
venomcd shafts of envy, however scientifically
aimed, can never reach. Let men of science,
then, be satisfied with their places; and let sci
entific institutions be content with the public
appreciation of their utility. The Smithsonian
Institute is undoubtedly one peculiarly fitted to
benefit the world in scientific matters. It is de-
signed to collect the light of knowledge and to
difuse ito radiate it out again upon mankind
Raliating bodies are however great disorders,
and we must confess to the great powers of alb
sorption which such institutions often have, and
extends not to imponderable agents alone, but
even to the heavier metals. Ihope the radiating
powers of the Smithsonian may be, IN all re-
spects, equal to its powers of absorption, but /
submit, with all due Difference, that the world
needs, in addition, men who can transmit the
| light of truth-men who, like the leels can con-
centratc it into brilliant focus, or like the
prism, decompose it into the glorious rainbow
hues Itneeds, to speak plainly, men, who, like
Lit Maury, can gatherto some point of practical
utility the parallel observations of others, which
else would go on for ever without approximating
to any useful result, or who can reveal to the
world the true beauty and value of these rays of
truth, by simply permitting thentopa through
their minds.
Its undoubtedly true, as Prof Henry init
mated, that the problems connected with agri-
culture are ola very complicated character All
the natural sciences are more or less concerned
in +hep, RI,t fherp js NO reasoY yhI- 0srtirt,-
lar line Of research may not be pursued with
advantage. The one which 1t Maury has cho-
son is one of the most important, and while
heartily concur with the able remarks offered in
its behalf by G. B. Calvert, Esq, of Maryland, at
the meeting above referredto, / would with him
desire that this matter may not pass from the
hands of the eminent and distinguished man
! who has not only proved himself scientific man
but a man of practical science" In this there
need be no rivalry with the Smithsonian Insti-
tuition. 1.-THE latter has systemlof obserya-
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