New-York tribune., 1874-08-15
RECENT ADVANCES IN SCIENCE.

ADDRESS OF THE RETIRING PRESIDENT PROF. Jo-
sEPH LOWERING OF CAMBRIDGE, MAss.-lNsIRU-
MENTAL PROGREsS-ADVANCE IN THE PIiILCSO-
PLY OF SCIENCE.
When, after a long interval and for the last
time the Staes-GenerL OF France assembled AT 'er-
salIes, an inaugural address was delivered Dy the
Esbon of Nancy, concerning which MrdOeau said that
he had missed the grlndest opportunity ever ah1rded
70 man for saying something holding his tongue
The retiring President of this Association would gadly
avail himself of this alternative. Bat the rule OF the
A.s,ciation compels me to follow the example Of my
predecessors.
Not even the capacous mind OF Goethe, a Humboldt
Wnewell or Herbert Spencer, is large enough 70 give
shelter to all the subjects which will come before TINS
Association sympathize with the remarks OF PIe,l-
dent Hunt at indianapolis, III which ne qdesu1hc no
nrnnrIefy OF excluding geology from the ranks of te
nhysiral sciences. | would give them sun WIucI sls
nh h,ance. can picture 10 myself al the.e supJo.1
handled in the mastery grasp OF mechihlcs anu ~
mathematics by which the phys as
h nands the history and destiny OF the solar sy sen
Wny" asked Cuyer, "Inay not natural hlst0Iy sun
day have Newton, to whom the laws OF va
the sap and blood will only be as the laws Oh hep
Ter may quote the words Of distinguished ht,ne
matician "An intelligence winch al any gwen ~
should know all the forces by winch nature -
urged and the respective sudti0nsfOI the pelusr U
which nature Is composed, II. moreover IL "eie
hceny comprehensive TO subject these data 10 calcu
ton would include the same formula the muVeneits
of the largest bodies Of the universe ani those OF
slightest atom Nothing would be uncertain 10 su ~
intelligence, aud the future no less than the pt'i wp m
he present. its eyes" emhotz mas estaoisheu OS
his own example the possibility OF being an ehliheh.
psychologist and at the same time standing III tne
rank OF physic and mathematciahs' Ihe r1Ste
ness of human inquiry viii never De satisfied win
knowing what things are until II IL also discovered no"
and why they are aud all the relations OF space, lne,
matter and force, In all the kngdoms Vi ha'uio' "'
worked out with mathematical precision
TIE FIELD TO BE REVIEWED.
This vast mechanical problem fortunately was hot al
presented at once. That of the solar system was woheu
out slowly. That of the binary stars followed aler
long interval. As yet in the problems presented D.!
clusters of stars the observer is wholly at sea without
chart or COMPASS and with illumination save that
which comes from prophecy III Newton M ,r
How tridng Is the region when nas Deen tb
the rigid rules OF the astronomer cOmpareu WIN u. -,
outside; feeble his progress cOihpaieu Win 'h"' "
the worker in natural history ,, ,,,, ,,o
Wnewe presents each science as clrcHne aTouhu ti
mind which figures IN each successive ePo,h hon
Its history: Comte passes each science & ,,r
logical and metaphysical crisis. Buckle brings Ior Ma
science In equal steps with CIVILIZATION Eicn oi
methods has Its advantage, but none WIN ,1 e16
the present purpose. Let us lot lls oScN oS a.
whether, in the advancing columns OF tne Pny son -,
ences there are any inproveh%ens % m lie 70 them Tney
are OF two ADVERTISEMENTS for experiment anu VIZ
logic of mahematcs Between days Of Calico ahd
of Dayy we Tecognze as the chief nstrumentaies py
which physical science has been promo teu. @ ano ' nd
sSSPS Se Sc aS 5aery Nome ene d hese is
The little spyglass OF Calico has expahucu 'nsU o. %
ington Tue little reflector with which Newton hoped 70
supplant the lens has grown and ,nIo I,ssel @ With
ali my admiration for the wonderful powers ol '4e m
crosCope tlfc telescope aud yOltac battery mus,
pause 10 eulOgiz- that simplest Of scicutihc Tools nc
pcn,iul lau. has rival "a standard oi iehs.u
ccpt the meter lt furnishes an eAaGt moas I'D tie
essential factor the study OF al motion aiu ~, ~
most available means OF obtaining Longitude ~ tno 6
aud ngdt ascension iu the heavens By IL Tue sinpo'
rotation. deusity OF the earn aud many OF lne
OF gravity have been determined and 1t has zone ioi
electricity and magnetism much that IL eHeo'eu & ivs
gravity The experiment Win tho pclduluhi q. rn
demonstrated 10 the public eye the eartb fOthton ~
contrivancc OF ZDuer promises 10 indcaie oans
ia the direction OF accufatefY as the coA'
pendulum measures intensity.
TIE VELOCITY or ELECTRICITY
Among recent additions 20 instrumental means If one
that has taken place durng the current year Ia lso
do ,crbed his device for observing WIN eA
treine nicely the movements OF naaneIed par oaus
this lea Ia uIaglctoInetcT. L.sseJous "o