New-York tribune., 1876-01-25

nation never purer than IL IL tO1iay'
Under the term abstract Science" froiessor -'o"
or,b nclpdea astronomy electricity, and apparently
the whole circle OF the physical sciences ihsVeAu u
strcting it, as is usually done, to the pure cohoepoS "
the intellect as logic aud mathematics lie deHe''S
BENJAMIN Franklin the father Of American s"'noe'
vim yyhose discovery OF tie identity of lightning ana
electricity It almost 10 have sprung into lie iu'
grown The only distinguished name al that cary peou'
besides that OF DR.. Franklin waa DAVID httehnous'
whose skin as o practical astronomer WILL III eo's'
respects compare favorably with the average vi ms
time Between 1890 and 1910, no American cuiu'"'or
Of science is mentioned by Professor Neweoho' except
nr D,wdteb Professor Bachc and DIR. Joseph Henry
Neither OF Lsse eminent men, the writer remarks ia"
received collegiate education. In spite of 1he u'"
able circumstances OF his carly days, there Was hi'
man living VINO more complete mas'e' v. '
celestial Int a!cs of his day than Nathahiei bo"un'
His genius II not his achievements ente him 10 place
at the side of Lapiace and Hansen. AZ monument VI
industry and "A proof his command OF the su'Jee',
Ls translation OF the hecanique 'eiesW ="
Iaplace connot be surpassed. No one. however, had
attempted TO continue the phosophical rescireneS
NJ Frauklin until the appearance or Henry III 'u'
scentGc world Before the commencement OF MS eAperi-
meuts there was not important electrical inYesufa
ton I'm this country Scr do tho published works oi Dr.
Henry afford an adequate idea OF the extent OF bis re-
searches of the scientific ability which they eVhc''
ue had none OF the encouracement which stimulate
men IL other counties to research. Had ne Deeh III INC
situation of Faraday, he might have gained an equally
brilliant reputation Tie lacked any Of Faradays skill
in designing experiments, his accurate grasp OF the
hypotheses illustrated by the experiments would have
Sppl.ed the deficiency Although lie discovered some "I
the lays OF electricity which made the Morse telegraph
possible ait ntiOn Of the public was clely dce'eh
TO the inventor who put tc laws into practice, While TIC
original dscoVeTer nearly forgotten. frViehsor
Nowcomb concludes that the imperfect Developments OF
fe Inc ia
Nv In So te of the wsut Of scientific precision In the
American mind IL produces sufficient number OF SOUND
and vigorous thinkers TO SATISFY tie needs OF tts ltl
leetul position There is doubtless Professor Newcomh
sugests sreat lack .. continuity Of work among our
leadug sceutiGc men. Few Of them have followed up
the subject during their Whole lives. working 1t ont from
step To step according 10 the European method THIS
failure m some instances due to tie lack Of persist
ence While In others. The cares OF life have
made It impossible eyOtc TIC necessary thought 90
the researches of science tue priesthood oi scicbc
men, il Is said cannot LC found IA America TIC National
Academy is so ircr;cctly organized, and so III provided
for By tie Government, that it fails OF producing any
practical benefit. "The contrast between tic ein"E'
name of the Academy and the celebrity Of ito incnes
On the one hand and lie means OF doing either harm of
good tic other is ridiculous IN dere "i Vhieh ''
members tIcus Ives hardly help being conscious u
IS suggestive Of eminent Tesec;auty on' ~ ue
bows" Professor Sewco.aB complains Of The omission
y
the cement Of sceuce In 1874 professor Lover
md 10 mako mention o the scientific laboIs and re-
searches of his caurtryi,n. bcarcI might have in-
ierrcd that there such th!As as American st e'
Perhaps y e'yal reader Lt.lt be disposed 20 h''is
similar charge against Tie paper OF Professor N""c"'
airscll which is mainly taken up with Vis'e gti"al
ties, bowau. dccIcncI"s of American -o'onA" r.
search with bit seauty ref to "a prom neut cGl"
,ao'- It nav De thor 1t tigt broader tratm'nf 81
he suuisc. would have hcrn more informing a5 vel N
more iuet and that coniIe c'siNo v'w o. thr -'Hr'
nents % il.- Ameilrau sctutinc uId could hady ht
presented Wit al.ul on TO c GooTs oi Count
Rnmiorl. Professor Nay or, od Professor NVoi ih
physics Professor Young, Procss"r Watson, Prof. srcr
Peters aud Professor Langley tto say h0..in- oi
nis own in astronomy, PtD.eespr Pcilcs 10 pare
ma Do. nalics Professor Draper, br Hare, Fi0'ec crs
Wocot Gibbs and j. T. Cooke in chemistry, y u'"ssm
J. d. Dana IN igEcr10ry Dr I.t;crT hunt i geo y
Dr Ja.les lidu and l. Oi sS1t N r-h In pHT ut'J y,
d A4a G. ~ a.d D u Ia 10 res IA lothy II. 'ah
her .ji. bel r4a Is ailfe m m,.a ie Tor .le.
original {, a their ncBs, vi hout On Ell f'
! Amcric.n science i axe thc pay ~ Han O WI
! II inlet onit:cd. 1 50 co h" reiencie- OF Atl IL
| ID science " ich Pf'f,fs SO. Hccmb pol 8 on Le
lsclsn- tbe ferIcc hot -tsr, - nec nc ken
! D. tie An rcau oic. Int q; s ch nicrct is not
mln,oeted In Wy To TO. o" sc.en.'ae rec re.
"Th- groa cces Of several popular sci.itilc PIN .c
| u ns" Lc remarks 'cspecia tie cIrap ones Issued
! by TIE NEW-YOIK TRIBUNE, Slows at eFo must b
large body Of readers vino eagerly buy tlat ct ~ o.
| erat re" e explanation 0i at tact, hOSc ar, -
iyen by Professor Ne couih IS tc curious lie sII-
poses That the readers OF publications. arc not
| rur IS rule aIuuc the iuGnptal csf educated
as.es but among tho,c vito haze jul SiGlc emf ntea
! euce exc e. thc stptiuet q. wO der" ant W %
tead ia, popular ctohes 81 scut.dc al coyrry - II
t ey g & 50 many fairy tales Brt IS cayo' 'cg state
ia grossly unjust to e great nlaa- Of tho American
| community. Without the natural taste anl sp"c al
1 t,h fli.fu ta bV Inc
euIsA OF (. clinical WORKS science, they have AZ
dent IA rst fOr information, beyond tie OF thcr
special pursuits Tie most highly educated readers
ccIta brsnc.cs of ,ue desire 10 bccUo acq antcd
With hc yrogrcss in other branches md hence general
demand a- arisen for reports OF tbe scientific acuc
neuts which the glory OF the even IA tn" cs"t
at mainly devoted to other departments Of Thought
! and etuiy.
We have ttlc space to consider the remaining papers
OF this cent nn.l collection, and will only add
| words concerning Mr. DGnDars able article on Leo
noinlc Heeuce" The most remarkable feature Of this
skctch Is the writer's estimate Of Dr. Fr1nsln rs po
cal economist Franklin, he remarks, wrote upon topics
OF this class from his twenty third year, and probably
wrote a. well In bis twent third year he ever did
But he had no well defined system OF opinions The sub
octs which ne discussed lie is quoted with admiration
by writers of a certain school and be might equal. wei,
be quoted by their opponents. lie Was In fact man o
expedens rather than principles. sdgacious ID dcni
with the practical questions Of tho moment, hut c"nien
with the crudcst speculation On remote causcs lie not
sonly did advance The growth OF economic sccnce, but
failed 20 master II il already developed hr.
Henry Carey IN the opiaon OF the writer, IS ihe only
Amt rican economist who be said 10 have formed
distinct school. works have been translated into
nearly every important language 10 Europe. nr. John
stuart Mill olten pays him tie high compliment Of
singing him out In an especial manner from the
th,ong OF his opponents. Ills position has been
| attained In d long Bud laburous
| writer. His law OF value borrowed by NJ Basiiat,