The Richmond palladium. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1855-1875, 1871-08-26
..GEODEsrIC ELECTRICITY,
Serious Thoughts on q LudicriOus
FERMENTATION Of an Important Sub


JCOSs
Ed. PAL: Ihad fully concluded that the
subliuisy Of the ridiculous had been reached.
on the appearance If learned essay in the
Richmond Independent, of August 5th. !
bad settled in that cow lotion, but, A. if t"
teach Us humility distrust of our own
frail judg ment-and the falliblity Of human
reason, behold tt,srs lie usherei into light an
other production through the columns Of the
sane paper, Of ~ lssh inst, which shows
clearly the difficulty OF plsngina at the frs.
dive, into the lowest depths of abeurdity.
We are nov treated 10 almost . surfeit
polite iteratsre! in the essay: Physical
forces"
am now afforded an additional evidences
why no limit should be placed in human pro-
gress--ws may never reach---but like tue
approach Of the asymptots to the curve Of ar
by perbole, we may approximate perfection.
lam now getting my curiosity excited, and
my keen appreciation of ludicrous caricaturs
sharpened up, and really have desire to
zee whsthsr the DR.. can give US specimen
of . deeper plunge. know not with what
feelings others may look upon these essays.
but the subscriber takes pleasure in annouuc.
ing that be never before imagined that histri-
onic art would ever 60 so far as to insugu-
rate the comedy of science and literature.
You perceive Mr. Editor, that am not
disposed to sccede to our learned N. D.
monopoly Of 'Euphony' harmony or symppo-
ny, or even OF the use Of sesquipedalisn
words.
offer no apology-for, as you well know
the love of displ lay il contagious !! r.
It would BE- idle 10 attempt the criticism Of
the last essay.
"There are, therefore no forces in the
sense Of independent natural agencies; but
there is force or energy which fews down
from the spiritual world into natter" &e. &c.
The suggestion Is deierentially made that
writer's ON ply would better keep out Of
the spiritual world as much as possible, else
. suspicion might be aroused that there was
awant of any or much acquaintance on their
part, with common visible nature. Our NJ.
d. philosopher discourses fippantly of mat
ter, force, spirit, energy. affinity, atoms, &c.
And yet, on all these subjects, he everywhere
manifests, in his tribulations, a very slippery
hold on the ''eel Of SCIENCE"
he also boasts of being thoroughly posted
read up intimately conversant with the
advanced pickets of science 1!
Well, I my self, have seen some pickets of
this sort-not, however, as the DR.. tells us,
BY the use of the call scratching influence Of
the Solar Spectrum |! Blu, it is usually re-
marked, that
"Know ledge is proud that he has learned so
/ much,
Wisdo N Is humble, that he knows no more. !"
and that the FIRST step towards an acquisition
Of know ledge, is . realizing sense Of ones
own ignorance. "Huu ility Of pretention no
less than confidence OF hope, are what become
the true philosopher"
reverently suggest screw loose, some
where. The DR.. first tells, US so inconceivably
small are these NATURALIZATION "that
no human ingenuity, has as yet neither by
by the all-searching influence Of the solar
spectrum been able to reveal them to the anx-
ious enquirer"
Leaving out the solar spectrum which,
am free 10 maintain-has not, and can not
: have 10 our present state Of knowledge, any
Z thing to do in dicovering atoms, the DR.. comes
nearer than be generally does to telling one
truth. But as if forgetting his role. and fear
ing lest his readers might suppose him want
ing omniscience, he proceeds to inform US
! minutely just what these atoms-ars not only
20, but he vouchsafes to tell " the order Of
their creation II
"Thess atoms were the frst created sub
> stances, mere points, as it were.''
t They are nothing more nor less than effete
I spiritual substances condensed, sublimated
chrystalized, or in other words ultilpated intt
the natural world, and serve a. basis upor
! which spiritual forces can operate.
This would designate A. gushing, cheer
ing, Strengthening. reasoning!I
II II generally conceded, that in conveying
. IDEAS, notions, especially in physics, ana il
the natural sciences, no ambiguity should
: be indulged in-nothing of the Dslphic oracl,
b kind 10 admissible. Exactness ia what IL re
!. quirsd-p oetry-imagination and even Eu
phony, would better b omitted.
The above defnition, II certainly . ricl
) specimen Of CONDENSED, sublimated, chrys
o TALKED" nonsense.
Nor does he appriEe u how or by Via
agency he has become 30 familiar with atoms
. Human fundamentally, We are assured
throws no light on the subject. Where then
h has our NJ. d. beenf Has he been travelling
!, and a. follower OF old Pythagoras Ha
he been put through a process of netempsy
Ghosts, and seen sights
r II 10 not usually thus, that scientists o
3 phyais lists lock at things.
Trather fancy the Dr.'s "atoms mechanics
so far As il is dim'y fores hadowed.
IAN atoms are drawn to each other b
% polarity, and are kept apart from each othe
3 by the intersticial electrical currents"
Q This is admirable from its simplicity l! an
!, also. from ito transparency
In reading the Dr.'s essays have been yer
n forcibly impressed with their resemblance I
n the learning displayed by . gentleman 9
n graphically sketehed BY the bard Of Avon.
allude to Sir Andrew Aguecheek in "Twelft
i Night" Bat stand ready to beg pardon {
ID the DR. or his prototype-whichever fe
IF agreived by the comparison.
begin to realis, that our Erudite philos,
- pher, exhibits some skill in his imitation
D. the cutie 6sh, and that il is not any cas-
matter to deteet clearly his exset location.
But I'll keep looking for moro infornAtio
% las the Dr.'s researches extend into new
-, papers, period ieals, almanaes--aided by b
own careful observations, geodestic. palaion
~ illogical, barometrical or otherwise. RASP
IN
A' Butler and Phillips.
The Baltimore sSun" does Jus