New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1883-11-30

and religion alike owe good deal to it. The
human mind has never been able to rest salts
fed with fragmentary phenomena 1t must
fulfil the law of its organism by proceeding 10
group, to classify, to define, tOdeduct to ln1er 10
conclude. And it is surprising how small 1ul-
crum is really needed to move the world. just
as Professor Owen, from one little 0sSeous
fragment, reconstructed the huge bulk OF the
megatherium, so human speculation, ever push
ing ahead of facts, builds upon the most insig-
niicant fragments of antiquity, or OF cosmlcal
science, or of psychical discovery, all-com-
prchcnsve and stupendOus systems OF history,
or cOsmogOny, or theology or philosophy All
knowledge is relative, say the philosophers.
But the relatively of human knowledge is as q
rule ignored outside of the text books, and the
most sweeping conclusions are jumped at in the
most reckless way, even sometimes by those
who boast of the rgidly scientific methods of
their inquiry. The "expanslOn of news, that
is TO say, Of the latest discoveries of science, of
the latest hieroglyphc inscriptions, of the latest
pathological theories, of the latest chronological
speculations, is indeed by no means confined to
the Central News Company of London. The
investigator of folk lore traces in the. simplest
nursery tales the remnants of sun-myths.
The archGolOgist infcrs from tho presence OF
certain monuments, whose significance he is not
sure of, the evidence of cults which may be
altogether the PIGMENTS of his own fancy. The
theologian, starting with assumptions which
may be without foundation, crects lofty struct-
urcs reaching to the skies. The historian, be-
ginning with mixture of legend and tradition
which IL il No lonpnr nnsAihlp tn IiSpnt1uUlp.
Celebrates spcculations concerning the progress
Of races which may be entirely erroneous.
Even the scientist is compelled frequently to
formulate Saws concerning which he can
have no assurance, and to infer from demon
stratcd facts conclusions which are quite pos
sibly not justified. The astronomer, watching
the heavens, scizcs upon the suggestions OF the
spcctroscopc to help him in constructing solar
theory, yet with all his ingenuity he can tell us
nothing concerning the central luminaIy which
possesses the least element of gertrude. Pro-
fcssor Proctor has been Il notable "cxpandcr
of news i'm this connection. Professor Plazi
Smyth went OH in another direction, and
from n supposed mathematical coincidence
inferred u usc and significance for the first
Pyramid which no asccriaincd facts at all war
rant.
And SO the expansion Of news Of one kind
and another is and ever has been tllc common
practice of mankind and perhaps, ~ already
suggested, il is "a necessity of the human mind
To remain content with uncertainties, frag-
mcn;- outlines i, intOlcrablc 10 man. He must
mako believe 10 know something final in regard
to whatever comes within his ken. He must
prrtcnd To himself 10 have mthomcd the I'M
movable lie must sClace himself with de-
lu,ions, rather than confess hi, ignorance and
bcwidcrmcnt. And therefore is he driven,
almost through the force of circumstances. AMI
the influence Of his surroundings, to resort at
an time, and seasons, to the expulsion OF