The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1856-08-26

present. and thai this hppueu only Ofole
creation ito vulgar term but likewise 70 the high
est OF mammals, is well known that these theo
res novelty They have been the belief Of the lead
ers Of scenceof such men a. Humboldt Muller, Agas
siz VIVIAN Arago &c. for years. and nothing has pre-
vented their emphatic enuncasn but the dread Of ecce
siastoa bgotry Even here, In this country only few
years since some narrow minded bigots who make iy
ing by turning the religious preudices Of the masses
account in the publication Of what called religious
apers fell upon Professor Agassz with tooth and
nail and with the impudence of ignorance assailed him
with foul They would have had him cease his
noble abors for fear that their vocation might be injured
they would have stopped his mouth lest the pApabie
ignorance of many Of the Protestant clergy whose science
dates from the fifteenth century should chance TO be dis
covered Let US rejoice that the Professor combines
moral courage with philosophical discrimination that he
suffered these pests rsyiie him week after week anti
outraged public indicated American character, and
taught the sandercrs that there were bounds TO
clerical nGecency.
Passing two shorter papers-one by the same Dr.
Wsnlaud. curious worm called acanthocephala the
other by the great nguist Prof HaldemAn, the rea
grages to Prof Agassiz great communication on
animal de elopemept, OF which he gave the first
section on the egg refer you and your readers 10 the
report OF this highly important communication in another
column Tie point " was TO show that all animal and
all vegetable life originated in the egg that the vegetable
egg stage OF its progress precisely like the
ANIMAL egg and that all animal eggs though devating
from each other rs their develo oment advanced
also precisely similar in Their origin. Thus there is .
point where the human embryo itenticay the same In
appearance the germ OF the humbes type OF sea weed
You perceive The orbng importance OF the reflections
OF the act: and is taught | may add, a valuable
lesson of humility. This human form, which has been
the boast OF mankind since the first expression OF
mans thoughts oriental imagery, and in virtue OF
which claim the sovereignty OF the earth as OF right,
- after all nothing more than peculiar ceveopement OF
gloIule OF int and soumeD which under different cir
cumsiances might have become a ID Eine plant or an
unclean fowl
do moi link am doing any Injustice to the many
able men who have read papers here when say that
this Is hthe 10 the supreme effort Of the association
crbear, in this pla'e from entering into any argument
..etslef. .f1 mall al Ina uphN
argument VIII be needed.
soCETY-THs sPfsTs.
The rooms en- Saturday visited from tins TO time
By many distinguished persons Who sat aud listened TO
paper or two l noticed BIZ hop Potter Of New York
senater Cooley commoeore Ntk Of the Exploring Ex
edition, ex.Gol NOR Seymolrall looking much inter.
esicd, aud lar they personally concerned iou
rsh!ng Ike the greea bay tree Mr.. Chauyea the gu
pern,endsnt Of Education in Canada, perceived in
conversation v = Prof. Agassiz hope he has not
10 s;esl him away. What with these yisters and the
hospabe people Of Albany the philosophers spend their
evenings very pleasantly. Most Of them have brought
their wives WITH them, some their daughters and the
drawing o. the Deayan, the Congress Hail. and
other houses, we're never SO gay as at present:
There morrnful spectacle ia the midst OF this
gaevthat Professor Hare who is usually to be seen
in the drawing Of Congress Hall OF evening
versirg with the p'S. lister ed to him Saturday,
as he conrefsed a. he aid with the spirit Of general,
mo may have been Wa.h!os,on, BY he a,i Of a ma.
chine, ike perpendicular dial with move
able needle, and tuned away from the
pitiahle sight with feelings more sad than I can
q,
day hiss been the pride and the ornament OF American
science nov al the age OF seventy ye serving the
unconscious Jester for this group Of chdrero watch
men who trust, we're no members of the Association
gathering round him and making cruel sport OF his heavy
ndrmii.-it WAS very melancholy. i know that Or.
Hare II the meetings OF the Association very trying
the patience al Tins aae that tar from
having any tcTnp.es Of dslcacy talking about his
hobby he talks about nothing else and Is so happy
as when n commrI cation nh my dear Generai'' but
still. think lIere are sights from which persons Of
right Zee ing orgl, 10 vert their eyes This caanty
W y n MAJ frYa NIFTY fhrnu
kindly veil
Yesterday there In some Of the churches
having bearing The proceedings of the Association.
IN the Episcopal church geology reviewed from the
scr ptura point Of view, aud The usual remarks which
are familiar 70 every attendant upon places Of worship
were heshly Uttered confess that for my own part
found z eater attraction N the music OF tac Roman
Catholic cathedral which both in respect Of vocalsm
and accc mranlmelt appears TO 10 be unequaled
state The performance church Is not 10 be
compared with IL for moment
To continue tie sketches contained my last letters
or the Smithsonian Ins who holds high place here
among the votares OF science The Professor native
q Albany, where, believe, be was educated and spent
the earliest years Of his manhood. While here his voca
electricity with view to the discovery OF the then
solved problem OF the electric telegraph These and
papers contributed by him 70 scientific periodicals. gained
for bim big3 reputation that he chosen TO al
proft siona chair at Princeton where he remained for
several years extending his reputation. aud advancing
sceLce From the-ce h. translated TO the Smith.
sonan Institute. The active part which he took in the
disputes wfch with regard 20 the proper disposition
Of Mr. Smihsons oeqned and he ultimate victory which
he his opponents has led 10 his being regarded
the master spirit OF the institution. His office Is that
Of Secretary director Professor Henry industrious
worker has constantly some scientific question hand
and rarely fails make .everal valuable commun
to the public in scme shape other IN the OF tue
year His paper en- acoustics (Which was published In
the Herald iast week. is one OF the mot valuable
scientific papers presented 10 the association every
builder and architect should procure and preserve copy
ofh Professor HsDry man Of about dfty years Of
age he tall and stout, with the ae Of ilne old gen.
teman, snd bold, manly carriage. His style OF elocu
ticn is dguih' and eentlemsnly
PROFESSOR nACaE,
who naturally follows Professor Henry, Is as every
Que lnows, he great srancson OF BENJAMIN Frank
lu BE graduated al West Point. and len II a
second lieutenant In the corps OF Engineers.
short while afterwards, he received otter profes
sorship IN the University OF rcnnsylynnia which he
ceped After ang this office for some years he passed
10 Grard College OF which nc became the President and
em thence wa ,a9er 70 suporntend the Coast Survey
liz labors 10 connection with this grea, work well
known they have probably been paralleed any
country. It has been remarked without very much ex
aggeraon that the coast survey, proceeding I'M
can work in progress at the present time. Professor
Hache n Of The medium height stouty built his feature
expression; bis voice. which Il very deep and powerful
heard than silence per Tadcs the room for
writes thee borrdiy tough papers coda lines and
such things, Understood TO be one Of the funniest
men OF bis day
Of Cambridge, has ong been kro~n as OF the FIRST
maiht fnailcaEs, d not the hrsi in America as life 80
far q n aware, has been 1neyeHifu the solution OF
sn absuse prob en-, or the dsco cry OF mathematical
truth, Rave been, presume, the nestores In his ca
reer n, gained some distinction at the period OF the
discovery q The planet Nepiune and since on various
occaaCrs be has been referred 10 anal authority on
tie highest questions CT Mathematics His appearance
cont Sts with bis calling. OF the middle height and
somewhat broaGly built his attitude IL that Of reasoner:
hs lace u hard and cold and sttrs often falls his
long gray hair, which evidently used feel ITSELF
icss,d aside when Il gets IN the way o. a ID.
rNOfF-SOR fErIRS,
The gentleman who, a. you remember, said IN q
oerta letter, prbhshcd about three weeks ago Ia the
GRAb 10 be taking observaiupsi In the Dudley 0bserys
tory, native Of Aiiota, IN Denmark aud about
thhiy egh, years of age lie embraced science his
profession. and employed for years IN topo
graphical surveys OF Sciy aud similar work 81 Con.
IN The year 1876 be accidentally discovered
the comet which, Il u should reappesr, II ought in
the year 1859. VIII probably bear the dame OF Peters
comet. lie also published series OF papers on astro-
nomy which regarded by scientific men excellent
authority About two years since lac came 10 this coun
lry where be has pursued hts profession with uurem
ing ardor lie is engaged rs Dr. Goulds assistant
The Dudley Observatory, In arranging the nsu uments
&c and u also employed IN connection with Bache's
roast survey. He s slight spare man, with very