The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1876-01-04
sCIENCE AND SENTIMENT.
The Alleged Opposition to Science
and sentiment-NO Conflict Be
tween Them-Sentiment the Im-
Melting Force OF Science.

President Noah Porter, of Yale Col
lege recently delivered an address on
"Science and Sentiment" before the Mas
sachusetts Teachers Association. The
first part of the address was statement
of the popular idea of the opposition OF
science aud sentiment. The speaker then
argued that there was in reality close
union between them, asserting. that the
handspring of all science is sentiment
and that the regulator of sentiment Is
science. He said:
Sentiment prompts to the relief OF
street beggars; science has established
that giving in this way does more harm
than good. Sentiment would give
promp. and generous aid to all who are
in distress, especially ifinnocent ofcrimei
science protests against indiscrlminate
charity, and establishes the almshouse
system. Sentiment would impel the pa
rent to give what his child cries for;
science tells him that this would spoil
the child, and further, that when the son
comes of age it is better that he be
thrown largely on his own resources
Sentiment impels young people to marry
as soon as they feei a liking for each
other, regardless of adaptation o. pecu-
mary means; science sternly forbids the
bans of an early or improvident mar
riags as opposed to public welfare. Sen.
timent saws that labor and capital should
divide profits in exactly equal proper
tions: science contends that IN such case
there would be scanty profits to DO divid'
ed, that capital would vanish and labor
would beg for employment
on any terms. Sentiment pleads
for equality of social condi'
ton: science demonstrates that equality
of rights should be conceded, but that
equality of condition in respectto wealth,
influence, knowledge, honor or culture, Is
neither possible Hor desirable. Senti-
ment feels that women should vote; SCI
ence replies that government Is entirely
a practical matter and does not concern
itself with sentimentalities OF ary kind,
but simply with the wisest adaptations to
certain attainable ends. My own opin-
ion is that the union of science and sentl-
ment is natural and legitimate, and that
tner6 IS no OCCasioH ioi OIL SoS w
tween them.
Science is the offspring ola settlement.
Wonder arrests and holds the attention,
but curiosity follows and impels the soul
as Tyndal says, to look beneath what
the senses observe. The thirst for know
ledge becomes as imperious as the thirst
for gold, and it is only as this thirst be-
comes supreme that science yields It's
most abundant rewards. The fact that
this passion seems 50 singular to the
looker-on only illustrates its enc gy. 1t
is exemplifed IN tie enthusiastic inven-
tor TIE starving scholar, the la6orous
ANALYST, the microscopic observ-
er. the patient encyclopedias
and the tlreless explorer,
The angers and jealousies and strifes OF
men of science, like the quarrel OF lovers,
only betoken that the sentiment that
moves them is always ardent. Science
Is also stimulated by the love of power
and the desire of communicating knowl-
edge, desire made up of the gratlhca-
tion of sympathy and benevolent love
1t is real and potent sentiment, ana
gives efficient help to the desire to nc
9uire Knowledge. Whatever other forces
impel to scientific activity come under
the head of sentiment. Science cannot
separate itself from itself from its drlv'
ing force. 1t is neither becoming nor
consistent for it to disown the spring
which awakeps and impels the energies
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