Bedford inquirer. [volume] (Bedford, Pa.) 1857-1884, 1868-04-24
usELEss spEouLArIoNs.


here Is strange quality in The human
mind, by virtue Of which ii ever seeks 10 al
Fine the unfathomable aad to unravel Ia
soieble mysteries, HeglectIng often the NOR
sSeinl and practical inquiries Of every day.
me ~ order 10 crafty Its peachant for meta
I physical subtletieS. Every age has beer
haunted by some scientific phantom problem
Whieh l' was beyond the power of human
MIND TO solve, and the period Of time In
Wnleh We hFe forms no exception Ia thi,
rule " hile formerly the discovery az tbs
philosopher stone, aud other impossi
Niiuesi engaged the attention of actual and
pretended philosophers, speculatiOns con.
cefaing the origin OF the world have Of latt
years become the fayorite theme ot theo.
Tlsls But there is one fact TO which We
Wal cal attention. The iabors of the alchy
INST laid the foundations Of modern ohemis
4se E4 ioe eATeh i2r q the square ef s ahe - mgis gis
failure IN securing perpetual motion we owe
the spread Of clearer notions on the suhieet
oi mechanical principles; but what, we ask.
Is the benefit that shall accrue to mankind
from the vain attempt TO lift the veil from
the mysteries Of the first creation i? Even
u any one OF the thousand theories proposed
would commend itself 10 general approval,
Y would only be a barren acquisition TO our
theoretical knowledge, from which not a
single useful result could be exoected and
which would prove to be Yalueless In the
advancement of our race.
" make these remarks because an OK.
animation Of the eorrespondcnea sant ~
this office discloses the fact that many ofonr
readers waste their time aud abilities on this
improbable subject, We have also oe,s-
sion to notice the entire disregard or igno.
rance OF the most elementary and best es
tablished principles of science on the mart Of
these theorists Wild notions OF heat
electricity, the properties of matter. and N
forth, form the cement which holds together
the hypothesis Und speculations with
which they construct the uDsubstanti,i
iabncs OF their brains. They are NOT aware
that our knowledge Of the behavior of mat
ter under the influence Of extreme tsmpara-
tureS heat or cold, Is, as yet. far too inner
lect to warrant attempts Of generalization.
Ihe creation Of matter. its formation and
gradual settling into the present arrange
ment Is mt subject for the reTeries OF the
poet or the unbTidled speculations OF the
metaphysican; but practical men who are
wiling . improve themselves and others
should leave It alone. There are too many
urgent questions OF real importance which
claim and deserve al the attention and
energy which they can bestow upon them
Those OF our friends, however, for whom
the temptation TO lift the veil should
prove too strong, viii pardon Us for surgez
ting that their first duty is to obtain a com
prehensiye knowledge Of physics and che
mlstry. If after obtaining this, they find
that they are further from the solution Of
the puzzle than they thought themselves
before, they viii at least not have 10 repine
for wasted time and labor, as they can rem
der their nsWly acquired knowledge useful
IN a thousand different ways. .Sciatifc
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