New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1876-11-17
the public that he is able to give the best
talent and the best performance.
TILE PROGRESS OF SCIENCE.

THE PROGhEoo UT cOib"ND'
Tn his lecture last night DIR. Draper sketched
the progress of science with reference TO us
General effects on mankind. He properly re-
cards if as among the foremost OF the forces
which mold the affairs of men. Dating us
chief triumphs from the period of the revival
of learning in Italy, little more than three
centuries comprise the history OF mouerh
science. DR.. Diapers lecture refers largely 10
the indications of its progress IN such organ,
lied modes as are offered by colleges ana
learned societies. In some degree these may
furnish the indexes of the progress, ana
DIR. Draper has displayed considerable
amount of research in presenting theni LII
their order 1t is uDquestlonaDiy True
that the efforts of few OF our colleges 10 give
scientific stndies high rank in the curriculum
have developed within two or three years
new interest III science among the young men
of this country At the last two meetings
of tbe American Association for the Advance
ment of Science there was a marked
increase in the number OF new, young workers'
especially in the field of natural history VINO
came fresh from the laboratories or the COL
leges where they had pursued their researches.
The professors Of different scientific branches
in colleges where they are fairly encouraged
have also performed much of the very valuable
work of recent years The scientific asso-
Citations. both national and. local, have done
good service in helping forward this progress,
chiefly by the encouragement OF pleasant
intercourse. The publicity which has been
given to the essays read before these Dodles
by the press, and especially by THE TRIBUNE,
has also contributed largely to this end. Inc
financial assistance from colleges and ass0cla1
tons has been comparatively small.
But while granting that these agencies are
HELM to the progress of science, we must sui
believe that in the future as in the past the
great advances will be made by INDIVIDUAL
effort. 1t is the men, not the society nor the
college, nor even the fostering care OF the Gov
ernment, that must put the shoulder 10 the
wheel. Otherwise the chariot OF science VIII
be sticking fast in the ruts of prejudice ana
error. Take any of the leading discoveries
whether i'm the realm of earth, ocean, ar, or
the depths of space, and test them by the
0nestion-Were they the product OF uni
yersity. of an association, or of individual
effort The answer is given in the long roll
of illustrious discoveries whose work for
pecuniary reward. But DR.. Draper tells us
that many of the addresses made TINS last
Summer on Centennial occasions have been
weighted with expressions OF regret al
American inferiority in scientific progress
DR.. Draper Is quite night IN saying
that such expressions are founded on ignO-
rance. TO the brief list of American advances
in science which he gives, large additions
might easily be made, as he has almost con-
fined il to the mathematical and physical
branches. 1t is only by people who do not know
what our men of science have been doing
by people who do not keep up with the au-
vances which are actually made-that such an
absurd opinion could have been advanced.
DR.. Draper does good service by contradictng
it before it goes abroad and is accepted in
Europe as the estimate that America puts upon
her men of science and their works.