New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1872-12-18
PROF. TYNDALL ON LIGHT.
OPENING LECTURE OF THE COURSE AT
COOPER INSTITUTE.


OF THE ANCIENTS AND LABORS OF FRENCH
sCIENTIsTs-NBwTONs PROCESS OF ANALfz-
ING SOLAR LIGHT AND HIS METHOD or
PROOF-THE INTRICATE PROBLEMS OF or
TICS MADE PLAIN-sPLENDID EXPERIMENTS
Long in advance of the opening hour. every
one OF tho 1900 OF the large lecture room OF the
Cooper Institute was sold, and permission for placing
In the aisles camp-stoo and other movable seats was
sought but not obtained Although enlyened Dy inc
presence Of very ladies, the audience was
most remarkable as a collection OF men emlhens"
science and literature 1t may be doubted whether any
scientist Of note now in this city was absent IL
so. IL because he could not nnd sttihg-
room. Prof. Tyndall has been often described and
lmned but most people on first seeing him are sur
prsed The sturdy limbs, the tall figure, and the large
bOned neaments Indicated by pictures Of him, they are
prepared expect What astonishes them Is tho Keen
expression Of the Professors features. He looks ke
a born investigator into the secrets OF Nature. He
stood gazing abstractedy the heads OF the au-
dence as II rapt in contemplation, While Mr. Abram s.
Hewitt the Secretary Of the Cooper Unon introduced
him In the following words:
LADIES AND GENTLEMEN: To tell you who Prof. Tyn-
gence Of this audience which would De the last 10
make; TO speak even a single WORD ol praise
manners IN which l do not propose to induigei
and it is duty and pleasure, and think you VIII
Tynda the profound interest with which the announce,
by The entire community, and the cordial welcome
which we are prepared to extend to him.
riches OF his genius wish could make Prof Tyndall
understand the guar and expressive courtesy which
is paid to the character OF this audience, which
may be said TO represent, II 1t does not
cmbody, the re1nement, the culture, ahI t tiis
understand that which he will comprehend az the close
OF his ecturehow appreciaye you are Of what ne has
half such reception viii satisfy him that he s wei;
10 the hearts to the homes and to the meAeetu
appreciation Of this city. tApplause.I
With Prof Tyndalls first words the nearer realizes
that this man story tell. He comes TO us not to
amuse but to make plain to US that whereof
he knows. His voice is pleasant and his enunciaton
clear but he has OF the graces OF oratory His Is
simplicity Of science, and In default OF gesture, his
arms may folded In 'front.' his hands may be behind
hs back or both elbows may the table before him.
1t is the matter not the manner that he has come TO
present.
THE LECTURE.
Some 10 years ago. published In England little book
entitled the "Glaciers OF the Alps" and couple OF
years subsequently, q second volume, entitled, Heat
rs Mode OF Notion" and from these occurrences may
date the OF those friendly relations with
the people Of the United States which have brought mo
here tonight The two volumes referred TO were fol-
lowed by others, written with the same object. which
was to establish o broader and deeper sympathy than
that previously existing between science and the world
outside of science did not think it good for either OF
them 10 isolated from the other. unsympathetc
toward the other, and to lessen their isoations,
sweryed for time aside from those original inquiries
which had previously been the pursuit and pleasure OF
my fe and tried without falling into supernciality TO
render portion Of the tale Of science plain to ali nte
gent minds.
Nearly the whole OF these books were republished
this country under the auspices of who unring
IN hts efforts to dse sound scientific knowledge among
the people of the United States; whose energy, ability,
singemindedness In the prosecution OF arduous
task have won for him the sympathy and support OF
many Of in England aude to Prot. Youmans OF this
city. AppIause) Quite rapidly as in England, the aim
of these works understood and appreciated in the
United States and they brought to from this side OF
the Atlantic innumerable proofs Of goodwill. Among
these to be reckoned the invitations 1 received
to lecture in American cities, accompanied
by assurances OF hearty welcome. But We
do lecture in England you do in this country and
for long time hesitated to do that here which had
always declined to do at home Last year, however,
was honored with a request, backed by names so dis
tinguished both In science and literature that at
resolved to respond TO it by Drawing not only the dis
queting oscillations of the Atlantic, but the still
dsquietng ordeal Of appearing before the people Of
the United States.
And assuredly though tried by unexpected private
grief have had no reason to repent of my visit IL
has been thus far succession OF pleasures have
been received with cordially and listened TO with
Tagging attention.
VALUE OF EXPERIMENTAL LECTURES.
In answer TO my inquiries In England, had been
given to understand that you would probably prefer
perimental lectures. To meet this wish difficult;
but resolved It, by the selection and transport
Of the apparatus suitable for such lectures Experi-
ments have two uses-a use In discovery and use In
tuition They employed by the investigator as Q
kind OF language addressed 10 nature, aud to which she
sends Ineligible replies These replies however,,
for the most part too feeble for the public for the
investigator little for the loudness OF natures
he oniv ita aftar ,ba
dseoverer comeslthe teacher whose function IL Is
to exat and modify the results of the dscoverer
render them At for public presentation This secondary
function shall endeavor in the present instance to
fulfill.
Ipropose therefore, to take single department
Of natural philosophy, and illustrate by OF tho
growth OF scientific knowledge under the guidance Of
experiment wish In this fret lecture TO make you
qusnted with certain elementary phenomena; then to
point you how those theoretic principles by which
such phenomena explained take root and flourish
the human mind and afterward to appytthese prine-
pes to the whole body OF knowledge covered the
tures The science OF optics lends itself TO this mode Of
treatment and it, therefore. purpose draw
the materials OF the present think 10 best
begin with the few simple facts regarding Light which
known to the ancients and to pass on from them
in historic graduation TO sbstruse discoveries OF
modern science.
All mems notionsiof nature have foundation
human experience This is the broad foundation
which intellectual structures ultimately rest The
ton of personal voton In nature had this basis In the
fury and the serenity Of natural phenomena the savage
saw the transcript OF his varying moods and he &C.
cordingy ascribed these phenomena 70 beings Of like
passions with himself but vastly transcending him in
power Thus the notion OF causality Athe assumption
that natural things did not of themselves
unseen at the root OF the sayages
Interpretation Of nature out Of this bias Of the
Of