Weekly Trinity journal., 1877-11-24
SCIENTIFIC PROGRESS.

The present century has thus far been
remarkable for the number and extent of
the valuable scientific discoveries which
have completely revolutionized the old
methods of life. In the centuries since
( the Christian Era, combined up to the
| year 1900, there was not so much scienti-
fc progress as living men have witnessed
within the last eighty years. For centu-
ries after the truths Of the Gospel were
/ first promulgated the world was wrapped
in mental darkness, which only began to
dispel when the Reformation spread over
civilized Europe. With few exceptions,
the discoveries of science mechanism,
chemistry, geology, astronomy and in
fact all the kindred sciences have, been
made and turned to account within u
brief hour as compared with the ages
| which have rolled away since the World
was brought out Of chaos. Within our
own recollection advance steps have been
made which, had they been prophecied
half century ago would have met no
/ other fate than sheers of derision. But
as one apparent impossbility after an
other was accomplished the world grew
less doubtful until it became question to
what limits science would not ultimately
go.
Great as have been the progressive
steps which science has taken during the
present century, there are not wanting
those who believe we are upon the thresh-
old of discoveries before which those now
known become insignificant. Hence,
when Caxlon wrote "The Fate of Sum
merlield," )" incredible as was the plot Of
that story, it fell upon minds prepared to
believe that what he had conjured up in
his fertile Imagination might have in it
the germs OF Il reality which would yet
become known. Had the prophecy of the
power to which electricity could be APP
| piled been uttered one hundred years ago,
! it would have been received with far
greater disbelief than was accorded to
the magical powers Of the " Summerfeld
pill" There are those who believe, Tor
profess to at least,) that the day is not
far distant when, by the simple volition
of the will the mind Of another thousands
Of miles away can be brought into com
munication, and thoughts be Interchange
ed us freely as though the parties were in
the same room. Perhaps this may be
thought only the imaginngs of visionary
enthusiast, but in the revelations which
science is almost daily producing who
shall say that the idea is any more chi m
erica than would have been said Of some
which are realities to-day.
The last great discovery heralded to US
comes endorsed and sanctioned by the
Scientific american or we might be
tempted TO doubt its authenticity. We
are told that by new invention the tones
OF the human voice can be Reproduced
that whoever has spoken, or whoever
may speak into the mouth-piece of the
phonogIaph, and whose words are re
corded By it, has the assurance tnat his
speech may be reproduced audbly in his
own tones long after he himself has turn
cd to dust" a strip of indented paper
passes through little machine, the
sounds Of the latter are magniiied, and
our great grand children or posterity cen
turies hence hear lis AS plainly as if we
were present. Speech has become, as it
were, immortal.
This new invention is said to be purely
mechanical simple affair Of vibrating
plates, thrown into vibration by the hu-
man voice. This is blief review Of the
new invention, and we cannot better close
this article than by appendng portion
OF the article of the scientific authority
quoted from:
" 1t is crude yet, but the principle has
been found, and notifications and i'm
pIovemelts are only matter OF time
50 also are its possibilities other than
those already noted. VIII letter writing
be IL proceeding of the past? ? Why not, II
by simply talking into mouthplece our
speech Is recorded on paper, and our cor
re- spondcnt can by the same paper hear
Us speak. Are we to have new kind Of
books There is no reason why the ora
tious Of our modern Ciceros should not
be recorded aud detachaby bound SO
that we can run the indcntcd slips through
The machine, and in the quiet OF our own
apartments listen again, and as often rs
we VIII, to the eloquent words. Nor are
we restricted to spoken words. Music
may be cryslnlizcd rs we'll Imagine an
opera or an oratorio, sung by the greatest
living v0caIists, thus recorded, and capa-
bic OF being repeated rs we DESIRE"