The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1876-01-06


THrYRspA j. JANUAR.f @, 1876.
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81 xCfEsCE AND szsNfaMENT.
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IN ADDRESS BIZ PRFsfeRgT req TER
THE 4EIEssSD 0PP0SffvaN OF SCIENCE
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Presideas Noah Potter, Of Vale College,
delivered an address on Science and Seuti.
ynent before The Massxc husetss Teachers' AS
saeiaison, 10 Boston recently, He begin by
giving statement OF the popular ideTof the
sopnosisson OF Science and sentiment. he
! then asgued that there was IN reality q close
unsou betweea Them, asserting giat Inc
uassnsssring Of kei science IS sentiment, and
shM the regulator OF sentiment Is science.
He said a.
Sentiment erompfs to The relief OF street
keeeass: science has -esta blished that giving
in this way does more harm shan good
sentiment would give prompt add generous
a;a 10 All who are IN distress, especially II
snncrepesss crime; science protests against
tniiscrim;pae chSSsty, and establishes the
saln,shouse system. Sentiment would impei
tbe, pareot to give what bis child cries for !;
science tells hinaThat this would spoil the
child. snd, further, that when the son comes;
of age it is better that he be thsc yn largely
ON his own resources. Sentiment impes'
Young people to marry as soon as they !eef
liking for eaeS other, regardless OF aoapta.
ton or peculiarly means; science sterr'y
forbids the bans Of an early or improfi-
dent marriage as opposed 40 public wei
fare. Sertiment demaS:ls free trade on,
4he one sids, because every man desires to-
buy in the cheapest maeset, and protection,
on the olher, because bone industry should
be encouraged; science calls each feeling
-septImensa}Ssm. Sentiment says that labor
and capital should divide profits in eTsctly
equal proportion; science contends that IN
such caseghere would be scanty profits toibe
divided: that. capitsi would vanish and labor
would beg for employment on any terms.
Sentiment pleads forequality OF social condi.
tom: science demonstrates that equality OF
rights should be conceded, but that eauatlty OF
condition 10 respect TO wealth, iDGuence,
knowledge, honor; or culture, Is neither pos'l'
bic nor desirable. Sentiment feels that women
should vote; science replies that government
iseutireIy a practical matter, and does mot
concern itself With sentimentalities Of any
kind, but simply with the wisest adaptations
10 certain attainatle ends. In physiology,
science urges that all analogies point to the
ccnausion that the soul ceases to exist With
che body; sentiment asserts its longing after
an immortal life and its instructive abhor.
renee Of the extinction OF being, Science
and sentiment regard each other as natural
and eternal enemies; but It would seem that
this feeling must be unnatural, aud that the
strife may be adjusted. Some would adjust
it by an armed neutrality or perpetual con.
tract of noD.irterference. But such policy
cannot endure, for the heart cannot love
what the head has demonstrated to be un.
true. Ny own Opinion is that the union Of sci.
ence and sentiments natural and legitimate,
and that there il no occasion for any conflict
between them for these reasons:
1. Science is the offspriDg of q sentiment.
Wonder arrests and holds the attention, but
curiosity follows and impels the sonl, as Tyn.
dali says, TO look beneath what the senses
observe. The thirst for knowledge Becomes
as imperious 90 the thirst for gold, and 1t is
only as this thirst becomes supreme that sci.
ence yields Cts most abundant rewards. The
fact taat this passion seems 80 singular to the
I looRer-on only illustrates its energy. It 10
exempiified In the enthusiastic inventor, the
starving scholar, the laborious analyst, the
8 microscopic observer, the patient encyclope-
dist, and the tireless explorer. The aDgers,
and jealonsies, and strifes of men of science,
like the quarrels Of loyers, only betoken that
the sentiment that moves them is'always ar
7 dent. Science is also stimulated by the love
or power and the desire Of communicating
kn0Wledgc--a desire made cup Of the grstifi.
cation of sympathy and benevolent love. 1t
is real and potent sentiment, and gives eff
Gent help to the desire to acquire knowledge.
Whatever other forces impei to scientific &C.
tivity come under the head of sentiment.
Science cannot separate itself FROM its driving
force. 1t is neither becoming nor consistent
for 1t to disown the spring which awakens
and impels Its energies.
2. AS sentiment furnishes the motives OF
science, 1t more or less distinctly shapes Its
eucs. These ends may not always be dis.
tinctiy recognized, but they are none the
less real and potent. They may be entirely
overlt oxt d BY thu oae sided devotee ofscience
and YET exert their shaping influence. Pc.
litical economy subjects all private senti.
individual sympathy, and regulates our be.
neyolence by abstracts and hard precepts,
but 1t is only for the well-beiDg of the
myriads who make up the commonwealth.
When political wisdom would guard the
rights Of capital II Is only that the laborer
may be prompted to save a. capital for him
self, or at least may be assured constant and
abundant wages. We do contend That
s science always recognizes these ends, or pro.
poses the wisest means to attain them: but
that In the ultimate analyses every end which
Is proposed by any Of the applied sciences Is
constituted and defined by sentiment.
8. Though the sentiments are the motives
& and ends Of all activities, even those of sci.
epce Itself, yet they need to be judged and
regulated by science. The feelings are
simply impulsive and bliud, the intellect
only has eyes to discern and direct. Hence
\ the intellect asserts natural, or, If you
please, q divine right to guide and control.
Feeling when uncontrolled by the intellect
becomes passion; when partially controlled,
and asserting the right to direct, il becomes
sentimeataiisn,. and plays the mischief with
private and public economies, and enforces
all manner of partial and one.sided theories
with excited fervor and eloquent harangues.
But feeling directed by knowledge and judg.
neat Is practical wisdom, common sense.
sagscious insight, aud scientific genius. But
10 directing and ruling the feelings the in.
tellect does not repress them. It lis neither
i 3 usurper nor assaisant of sentiment or feel
ing as such 1t neither denies the force nor
disputes the authority of sentiment, Science
guides but sentiment moves the world Of
spirit. Watcher it Is true Of the world Of
SnpfSnr IL not faonido