New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1882-04-02
NOTES on CURIOSITY.

Probably no feeling has been held no to greater
reprobation than that OF curiosity. Ea;y tradition
Is full of illusions to It. The fate OF Blue Boards
wife, and the third Calender in the Arabian
Nights" who has cause to lament the indscreet
anxiety which cost him his right eye are familiar
TO us from childhood. "Peeping Toms" fate is
another legendary warning. :" Paul Pry is held
up as an example TO he Stunned. Ancient mytho-
Ogy has its tales of Cupid and Psyche, OF Cepha
lus and Prccrs. The Morse legends tell Of the fate
of the woman who rashiy disturbed the grave OF a
hero to obtain his sword. and was consumed by the
flames that surrounded the enchanted lladc. His
tory and real life add their tale of warnings against
too great desire to know the wherefore Of every
why" And yet the world would be badly OF if no
inquistive people existed in it. Great inventors
and discoverers are all, IN one sense tlll Of
curiosity The desire for knowledge which Johnson
aveFred to be common to every human being who
is not deprayed" is a form of inquIsitiyeness Co.
lumbus was intensely curious regarding the I'M
known world which he believed lay across the un-
explored ocean. Curiosity has sent out long
succession of travellers into strange countries;
from Marco Polo and Vaudeville down 10 the latest
African explorers Curiosity has given to the world
scientific discoveries and valuable Inventions
Curiosity regarding the life OF previous ages has
rescued interesting documents land ancient records
from Oblivion. Apples had fallen for thousands Of
years kettles had dubbed for centuries. but 1t
only when inquiring minds like Sir Isaac Newtons,
the Marquis of WOrcestePs. and Watts observed
them that the principle Of gravltatiOn was dscoy-
cred or the power OF steam understood. Socrates
not so mistaken when he taught his disciples 10
ask questions, aggravatlng as the haDlt must some
times have been to their fellOw-cltlzens.
Without "A certain amount of curiosity nothing
would ever be learnt 1t was the sight of q book OF
mathematical diagrams that gave Pascal his hrst
desire TO study geometry; the strange figures
awoke the boys curiosity. and he became anxious
to understand what they represented. Many
similar tale might be related OF other geniuses.
Curiosity of this description becomes an enthusl-
asm. No difficulty or danger VIII deter the votary
of art science from attempting to solve the n{s-
teres Of his calling. Many physician has. like
GuyOn. OF MaIseies given his life TO gam an IN
sight into the dark secrets OF disease. Nearly every
scientific discovery has been bought, at some
period by a life worn away by oyer-study, or
more directly sacrificed through accident or expert
ment Deadly climates and unknown perils do not
check the ardOr of The explorer. Nanderyelde, the
celebrated sea painter. being in vessel during
raging storm caused himself to be tied to mast
that he might study the effects OF sea and sky. and
kept excalming. Marvellous. sublime" totally
ObviOus OF his danger Leibnitzs royal patroness
is said 10 have expressed herself rs resigned to
death because she would then learn the answer TO
many questions Lcibnitz coull never reply to-
which is certainly pushing the love Of inquiry to ls
extremes verge.