New-York tribune., 1873-12-15
hN ENGLISH TRIBUTE TO huERyCav
SCIENTISTS
RECEPTION TO PROF. PROCTOR.

the members aud distinguished company OF invited
guests.
The President OF the Club briefly expressed the
pleasure with which the American public and especially
American men OF science received the visits OF Prof.
Proctor II he found tho popular attention to scientific
in the midst OF the late commercial distress
less than at other tmes he must not
mistake the occasion. or doubt tho high regard elt
among people, who were at this moment treating tho
illness Of Agassiz as National calamity. for every sin
cere investigator whose labors like those OF Prof. Proc
tor gave place and authority In the world OF science
| Prof Proctor in reply. thanked the President and
club for tho kind reception ACCORDED 10
him, He remarked that the manner in which he had
boon made welcome since his arrival 10 America
had been most agreeable experience to him. On every
side no had received kindness and attention. ana In
MANY instances most valuable assistance. He said that
he had not come with tho idea OF teaching
| so much with the hope OF learning. He hau
| known before he arrived and had moro clearly
recognized since that American scientists were doing
noble work. and that tho people OF America were IN ad
OF Europe IN the general attention given by them
to science Ho had been amazed by the character OF the
audiences before whom he had ectured not solely by
their number. though that had surprised him. but by
their close attention the facts presented TO them ana
by appreciation OF the bearing Of those facts He
had visited American colleges and other Institutions
and had been struck by the great advantages Wch the
methods there employed possessed over those adopted
| England. Ho had strongly felt the hope that one
| day his children might receive a portion OF
their education America. He proceeded to remark
that TO thinking mind America presents deeply
interesting subject Of study There being worked
out this great country the great problems which oc-
cupy the attention, ndeed of statesmen and politicians
on the other side OF tho Atlantic but the solution or
which there II solution is to be hoped for is trammeled
by influences OF old traditions, by the eects OF class
distinctions and by other circumstances not readily
classified analyzed, but operating only too effecuay
to retard progress Even in sconce the difference was
to be recognized He could venture, indeed 20 remark
that he might TO some degree claim tho sympathy and
support OF American thinkers, because OF the efforts
which he had made to resst tho influences which op-
press science England. One OF these is authority
not authority in its legitimate sense. but authority
undy allowed to affect the freedom Of Thought. Here
in America OF recognize authority as form
OF scientific evidence. because the fact that great
| thinker has held such and such "a view Id pro
hto evidence In favor Of the justice OF the view. But
Americans allow authority " decide scientific
questions. aud whom newy discovered facts show that
views formerly held by great authorities should be mod
fed or abandoned the American student OF science s
not prevented by undue respect for authority from
accepting tho new truths thus indicated In this ro
| spect he had himself thought and acted as an |
American would His doing had, he feared, proved
unpeasng many In England, who preferred to stand
on the old Even moro unpleasant to many had
been his opposition the odfashonod notion that only
the official do effective work either In
observation or IN the discussion of observations. lie
mentioned how the Astronomer Royal OF England had
embodied this feeling in tho opening sentences OF well
! known work popular astronomy, whero he divided
astronomical students into those who arc officially con-
nected with Government obseryatories and those who
| are not. Mr. Hind had once rebuked him tMr
Procto for quoting observation made by amateur
astronomer that Mr. Hind denied that the partcu-
lar fact had noted but because the gentleman who
had made the observation had not made for himself
great scientific This, Mr.. Proctor remarked, |
appeared to him most mschieyous mistake; and he
| believed that science in any country would never |
| make such progress 1t might long as
considerations such this were allowed TO operate He
illustration OF the tendencies of the official
mind. When Miss Mitchell tho distinguished American
astronomer had discovered certain comet the Asron-
omer Royal (oDo OF the council who had to determine
whether she should receive a gold medal for that |
achievement opposed the award because, although |
Miss Mitchell had certainly discovered the comet she
had not OF the discovery by the first mail"
| uaughter Fortunately the Astronomer Royal was
oyerruled by his colleagues. and the award was
made. Mr. ProGtor proceeded to remark
On two points in connection with Amer
lean scientific wOrk-frst, the effective way III
which was carried and important facts being
continually added 10 our knowledge by American sci
euce workers; aud secondly tue small regard paid by
Americans questions OF priority. he remarked that
in two special instances relating to the work OF PrOes
sors Cool,c and Wulock OF Cambridge u ST. he had been
unwittngy guilty of injustice in assigning tho credit TO
other and the mistake though noted long since by those
gentlemen, had allowed to remain uncorrec,ed IL
appeared To hun, IN fact, that American stuiehts OF
rience we're altogether less disposed TO controversy
tbau their European fellowworkers. Perhaps this
mark might seem come strangely from one who had
been gagged two or three controversies which had
o,,ed by becoming somewhat warm lie must explain,
however. that ho hai erred IN this respect.
not from any liking for animated controversies.
but because a certain painness OF speech which had
seemed to be desirable and inof nsvc had caused un-
expacted pain others A. recent scientific meeting
in England had had occasion TO note and with grave
regret that several parsons for whom ho entertained the
frondlest feelings had been aneercd by arsiIoais ho
had employed simply to Overturn erroneous theories.
not 10 excite angry emotions From this however.
no had learned the lesson that controversy
IN science should be avoided; aud In America
This was done. Mr.. Proctor prOceedoi 20
remark On the wonderful growth aud Development OF
America 10 past years. and tho glorious future when
tbs nation had before her. He repeated IN conclusion
that he had come TO America 70 lear rathso rnan 20
reach and ne that before he retufneu 10 EuSahd
ne should have learned To some purpose A. - 81,
p, nto cSirt @ i,tIce CHARLES p DAILY the Hon William
orton President Barnard OF Columbia Collage, tho Roy.
| DR. Henry NJ. Field, Mr.. Abr,in - hewtt' tho Hon
| Robert H. Roosevelt, ami d. q. Croy.
subsequently at the invitation OF the fresueho froi.
Proctor came forward again. and after remsrkng on the
inheritance of having the popularsing OF science ac-
compshed ouy by those who, by their own nvestiga,
tons become familiar with their subject poceeaep
10 describe he owed to member OF the l-otos CD
| To this country. happeneu
| Mr. Proctor) had been suddenly called on 10 give
" iec,re In place OF lecturer VINO had fallen ILL.,
Mr. ElIerln Uhe member of the LOtOs Club referred io)
ha chancsd In the occasion. 10 happened, also.
hat In the OF the lecture MI Proctor bad occa
sion 10 render tribute OF justice TO certain American
asronomers These astronomers bad observed special
f,c, urpg eclipse Of 1862 and because those aots
IA moi tally with theories which had been adopted
IN England it pleased a certain English student OF
as,rnnomy To say that the Americans did not under.
,and what they saw He (Mr. Proctor) had expressed
h sirong that the contrary the American
str"nomers understood snguarly well what they were
Snnt Again in the eclipse OF 1870. Prof YOUNG tho