The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1866-10-11
Gu RIoSITY.
Lecture by John b. Cough at
b the Academy of Music
Last Evening.
A Crowded House and q
Grand Reception,

Mr.. Cough, on being introduced TO the large
and enthusiastic audience, was received with
loud applause. After few words by way of
introduction, he spoke as follows:-
The definition of the term ''Curiosty,n - accord
ing to Webster, is the disposition TO INQUIRE or
seek after knowledge, desire to CRAFTY the
mind with new information and objects OF inte-
rest. lnqulsltivenese Is an element of our
nature-the first to be developed. At the dawn
of the intellect comes the desire to know. The
first inquiries OF child reaching out its hand to
touch thing are, What is 1t? why is it? where
is 1t? when is it? how IS it These are evil
dences that feeling OF Unsuitable curiosity pos
sesses man at the nrst dawn OF life, and that
desire for knowledge is VIVID during the earliest
periods of life.
This curiosity, this desire to know, is what
propose to speak about tonight, taking the
term in its broadcast meaning and significance.
Strip us of this element OF curiosity, and we
would make no progress-the world would stand
still and ambition would die. Bulwer says, at
is glorious fever that desires to know" Curl
osity OF great minds led us TO great discoveries,
to Improvement, to useful inventions. In
middle minds, to store information; in small
minds, to tnepidful peddling Of gossip and mind
ing other peoples business.
We owe to curiosity all we know of the
natural world, of the heavens above, and the
earth beneath us-the burning desire to know
how to investigate has overcome every obstacle,
comfort, privation, scorn, contempt, persecu-
| ton, and has even brvaed death itself.
1t is a sublime sight-a grave, earnest work.
| walls of darkness and oblivion INTO magnificent
| inhDity. These men have struggled hard
| against adversely, against everything, in order
| that men might be brought nearer the throne
OF the infinite Cod 1t is wise to make ourselves
| acquainted with the struggles of these benefac-
| tors In their progress, and know, as far as we
| may, at what cost these results have been
achieved.
Some of us have a curiosity to learn. We
eagerly seize all the ancient books we lind, and
devour their contents greediiy; gathering all the
information possible IRON them, and from the
| reports obtained from mariners. He then re-
terred 10 Columbus, telling what difficulties he
| labored under IN order to get sufficient number
| OF vessels to proceed on his perilous voyage.
| No taunts or dangers could move hlm from his
| great purpose. He started with three vessels,
| two Of which were without decks out upon an
! unknown sea, to seek an unknown land. After
| being some time out his sailors clamored to re-
turn home, continually expecting to land, with
continual disappointment. By his unwavering
faith he quelled the rebeliious organization
until that memorable night when he saw the
torches, and inhaled the refreshing breeze from
the land.
Nearly one thousand years have elapsed since
the first time there was discovered to be north
west passage. How many difficulties they bat
tied with! What courage and fortitude they
maintained in daily conflict with the laws oil
nature in the attempting TO discover this passage!
| Read the voyage of those returned mariners
| in their attempts-what fearful suffering, priva-
| tion, and deata-what an expenditure of treasure
| and life! Men neverihinching, never faltering,
| Win tnat knOWledge peculiar to the maritime
| world, have been worsted in the conflict with
| these awful powers of fnature-sustained by the
great curiosity to solve the question.
The man who discovered steam proposed his
| plan to the French king, then tried the Church.
and was finally put IN the mad-nouse for pre-.
| senting such an absurdity for the consideration
OF the public. Many have lost their property,
ruined their health, dying neglected. They
| labored and expended their strength for nought
Stephenson worked fifteen years at his loco
motive before he achieved success The gen
| tleman who discovered enamel endured priva-
| tion, poverty, and everything Imaginable, but at
| last achieved a success. Samuel Morse from
| his first experiment with the electric telegraph
| IN A. struggled hard against obstacles in Eng
land, where he was refused, and obtained no as
| sistance whatever He appealed to the sove-
| reigns of other countries, with the same result.
| Not discouraged, he determined to interest some
one, and, under great disadvantages, obtained
| the aid of Congress
We all remember that session of '42 and 43.
On the last night he waited almost without hope.
He leftthe Houseidlscouraged, and reduced to his
last dollar. He was startled by the announce
| ment that, in the midnight hour Congress had
| placed at his disposal thirty thousand dollars
| for the experiment.
| The first line was to be between Baltimore and
| Washington, where its practicability and
utility was to be demonstrated to the world.
| He retired that night, but did he dream that
| sixteen telegraph lines would be successfully
| constructed and be extended forty thousand
| miles in every country in Europe, from the Tur-
/
| China?
| Did he dream of the honors that would be
showered upon him by European sovereigns-
the King of Prussia, the Emperor of France, the
| Queen of Spain-to vote four hundred thousand
francs from the ten States?
Now the great event of the age is the success
| ful laying OF the ocean telegraph uniting the
| two continents. 1t is triumph OF scientific
| skill and American industry, the result OF Mr..
| Morse's perseverance and determination IN
| overcoming every obstacle. His name will hold
| a prominent place in the worlds history, and
exercise an important influence upon the worlds
progress. All honor to Samuel Morse All
honor to Cyrus Field, who, through discourage
| ments land failures and opposition, by indomi-
part in the great enterprise. We, as Americans,
| are proud to claim them as our countrymen.
Long may they live (Applause.)
very few noble men have, by discovering an
| invention, increased the desire to know. The
names of many have been forgotten. The sue
| cessful ones have been remembered.
Curiosity prompts certain class OF men TO
| gather stores of information. Furnlsh them
| with books: they may repeat them page
by page, by rote, but they have no true know
| ledge ,
God has given to few the intellect to discover
| trnth, Very few men ever become proficient in
| any branch of science. And why? Because
| thev do not investigate personally. They de.
| mend nnon others for the solution.
| without personal investigation without per-
| sonal thought, no one can arrive at any degree
| of aninence in anything he undertakes, He
| who would have and know chemistry, botany,
| mineralogy, ETC., must himself make researches.
| Knowledge is proud that II knows so much
wisdom is humbled that it knows no more.
| From the want of knowledge, certain
| George and Robert Cokeshank we're discussed
in British periodical, in which the writer sald