Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1874-06-02

our eyes. Let us look"
DIR. Sprengel was the contemporary
of DR.. Erasmus Darwin, the grand
father of Charlie, We wish to say ,
good word for Sprengel as for worthy
friend of other years, and mainly be
cause he is forgotten in this wide-awak,
generation, while others have gathered
a rich harvest of fame and fortune BY
using his scientific discoveries. H,
was quite as much in advance Of his
age in analytical chemistry applied tc
the study of soils, rocks and plants
as in vegetable and animal physi
ology and the systematic i'm.
provement of organic life by
cross-fertilization andother means. In a
work on agricultural chemistry publish.
ed In this country and England overthir.
ty years ago, Baron Liebig says: "The
analyses are those of DR.. Sprengel-a
chemist who has increasingly occupied
himself for the last twenty years in en-
deavoring to point ont the Importance
of the inorganic ingredients of soil
for the development of plants Guilt
waited uponit."
Sprengel's scientific labors, like those
of Sir Humphrey Davy, and Baron
Humboldt, commenced forty years be-
fore those of Liebig and Charles OAR
win. Prof. Cunning has shown where
evolution as applied to pants original
ed as matter of pedigree; and we
have shown in former articles that soils
which sustain all plants and all ami
mails by the aid of mineral elements,
play an indispensable part in all posi-
bic changes, whether an improvement
or deterioration. DR.. Sprengel set this
ball in motion; yet how little is he
known to fame as compared with Lie
big and Darwin?
The question may be asked why
Germany took the lead of Europe and
of the whole world in her Humboldts,
her Sprengels, her Liebigs and her
great universities, In matters of science?
In 1869 Germany assembled her great
est sdUants to celebrate the centenary
anniversary of the birth of Alexander
Won Humboldt. The highest honor
of the occasion was bestowed on Prof.
Helmholdtz, who delivered the opening
Grafton, In the cause of which he made
the following instructive statement:
"In Germany there has always been a
fearlessness of the consequences result
ing from speaking the whole truth than
anywhere else. The eminent sdrdnts of
England and France are still obliged
to bow to the dictates of social and &C.
clesiastical prejudices, and, when they
speak openly, they do it TO the injury
of their social standing. Germany is
holder; she confides in what has never
proved false-thdt the t0hoIe truth is the
best remedy for the eUiIs Of truth i'm
perfectly stated"
The cultured reader will see in the
above an abiding principle of universal
application. The weak point in Amer
lean, English and French journalism
and popular education, is a miserable
fear of teaching, and of learning the
whole truth, lest the truth freely
spoken, written and printed, should, in
cidentally, disturb some fayorite creed,
some grasping monopoly, some vested,
hereditary right to do wrong. This
fear of free discussion operates practi-
cally to enthrone falsehood in the leg
islative bodies of the United States,
the British empire and of France.
Under such government, no matter
what its form, economy of administra-
ton is simply impossible.
Jeffcrson's theory of government, ed
ucation and journalism was that truth
should be left free to combat error"
Some may believe that such is the pres
ent condition of the country; if so, it is
a grave mistake. If the philosophy
of Herbert Spencer is unsound, why
did not B. p Browne, ABB, criticise
the elaborate doctrines of the English
philosopher in respectful language, ex-
posing its errors, instead of denounc-
ing it as "a purely haphazard SYSTEM"
'a miracle of confusion and absurdity'
which takes an insane delight In
knocking out its own brains? The
real difficulty lies in the fact that the
conspicuous intolerance Of the British
Quarterly ReUie1v, of the Puritans in
the time of Cromwell, and of our own
day, has propagated and intensified the
spirit of literary despotism. 1t is a
case where moderate drinking has been
carried to habitual drunkenness, and
habitual drunkenness to insanity; and
where men bereft of reason are
in doubt and bewildered whom to trust |
and whom not, as guides, as rulers, and !
as Judges. 1t is not so easy to pre- |
scribe for national insanity with any
prospect of success, as some may sup
pose; because the fact that the public |
mind is deranged is neither admitted
nor believed. Intolerance does not feel, |
nor care to see the beam in its own
eye. while it is unwilling that others
should attempt to extract it. But the
science of the Popular Science Monthly
probes continually all evils of whatever
name or nature; and as a necessary
the disturbed opponents
of reform hate science. The periodical
may be had of w, T. Berry & Co., of
= his