The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1858-05-03

MEETING or THE AMERICAN ASSOCIATION PoR
TIE ADVANCEMENT or SCrsNcE.--Thls body has
been In session at Baltimore for some days, but
the papers have little or nothing to say about
It, There Is . good reason for this.
A few years ago the meetings Of the asso-
cisticn were instructive, and beneficial to the
cause of science. The first men In the country
assembled at the annual gatherings and grave
topics we're sssrchingly discussed. Discoveries
Of signal value In the practical sciences, and
ingenious advances In those branches of science
tual, were disclosed to the world at these meet
ings 1t was an honor to belong to the associa-
ton Ia those days, and privilege to sit aud
listen TO the debates. Then, the country could
safely boast that II had body Of scientific men
which could compare with the great scienti0,
associations of the European countries
All this has been changing iatteriy. The
greatest Of our scientific men. Assssiz, Bache
and their oompeers are either withdraw wing from
the association altogether, or taking q mere
secondary part In It's proceedings. II is evil
dent that the interest they once felt In 1t Is
dying out Some, no doubt, are growing old,
and cease to feel the noble emulation which
used to Gre them Ia the Intellectual coatests Of
which the association was the the scene.
But the great proportion Of the leading men
~ho are neglecting the association have
withdrawn their aid In disgust. They
have seen the time Of the body consumed
day after day Ia frivolous dicussons on matters
~ rprr al MI apl L.
been bored to death by elaborate inquiries as To
whether IL was Professor Smith or Professor
Jones who discovered the hairs on neas tails.
They have been ashamed Of sitting m listening
to indscent squabblee between III bred and gno.
rant men who ought never to have been
suffered TO take seats on the floor of the assocta-
ton. And they have felt satisfied that body
which could afford a couple Of days to a noisy
brawi between two nincompoops was not Ht
audience to receive the sublime results Of the
studies Of an Agssiz or q Bsche.
Again, the association has been hurt by the
rivalry Of cliques into which Il was divided
There are probably no class of men more jea-
ious Of each other or more small minded In
their spite than second rate men Of science
'tuOm ~ uirtutu HUm Tue upS vi n COlleRe
professor In the most concentrated form. Take
swoy q dozen gentlemen from the rank and
nle Of the members Of the association. and the
others were always dying TO abuse their col.
leagues Ia private. Some one has said that
mathematcians are the best haters; na,urallsts,
geologiste, and astronomers can hold their own
at that business pretty we'll Among such men
"a these, the annual meeting was q mere occs
sion and pretexs for general outpouring Of
envy, malice, aud all uncberitableuess.
But the chief reason why the annual gather
iDgs OF the association have ceased 10 be
OF sufficient public interest to warrant reports
In the leading papers is the futility of the labors
OF the body. II may be said broadly that for
the past three or four years the transactions Of
the association have been 81 no earthly uso to
any one. The really important subjects which
have come before them, as for instance, the sub
Jet OF uniform weights, measures, aud coinage.
have been put of from year to year, and the
time Of the meeting has principally been devoted
TO puerile and frivolous questions Of speculative
science. Every professor has been allowed TO
MIR his private foolishness, while the great In
terests Of science have been neglected. with
the exception of the extracts which have been
read from Bsches cosst surveys, and Agassss