The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1890-03-20
SOME THOUGHTS OF EDISON.


The following extract is from Talks
with Edison" by George Parsons
Lathrop, in Ha7per's Hagazine. In
addition to being extremely practical
in his thoughts and processes, Edison
has a rich imagination of creating
sort, and moods of ideal dreaming in
his particular line. One day at dinner
he suddenly spoke, as if out of Il deep
revery, saying what great thing
it would be if Il man could have all the
component atoms of himself under
complete control, detachable and adj
Unstable at will. For instance" he
explained, ''then could say to one par
ticular atom in mccall it atom No,
432O-'Go and be part of a rose for a
while. All the atoms could be sent
off to become parts of different min
erals, plants, and other substances.
Then, if by just pressing little push
button they could be called together
again. they would bring back their ex-
periences while they were parts of
those different substances, and should
have the benefit of the knowledge
OF course this was only passing
fancy, an imaginative way of express
ing the constant desire which exists in
the inventors mind for more init
mate knowledge of the nature of things
concerning which he has already learned
so much. This desire is gratified to
the farthest practicable extent by the
great store of all sorts of materials
animal, vegetable and mineral-col-
lected in his laboratory, where he ex-
periments upon and combines their
various properties as a composer plays
upon the instruments of his orchestra.
Indeed, in this large imaginative as
pect of his mind Edison distinctly re-
minds me of men having creative mu-
steal or poetic or artistic genius. The
mingled abstraction and fire in their
faces and eyes are noticeable in his, at
times, when he emcrgeS from some
private room in the laboratory where
he has been engaged in deep inventive
work.
The above remark about the atoms.
too, recalls Il statement which he once
made to me regarding his conception
of matter. Il do do not believe" he
said, THAT matter is inert, acted up
on by an outside force. To me it seems
that every atom is possessed by cer-
tain amount of primitive intelligence.
Look at the thousand ways in which
atoms of hydrogen combine with those
of other elements, forming the most
diverse substances. Do YOU mean to
say that they do this without intelli-
gence? Atoms in harmonious and
useful relation assume beautiful or in-
teresting shapes and colors, or give
forth pleasant perfume, as if express
ing their satisfaction. In sickness,
death, decomposition. or filth, the disa-
greement of the component atoms i'm
mediately makes itself felt by bad
odors. Gathered together in certain
forms, the atoms constitute animals of
the lower orders. Finally they COM
bine in man, who represents the total
intelligence of all the atoms"
But where does this intelligence
come from originally?' 1 asked.
From some power greater than our
selves
do you believe, then, in an intelli-
geGt Creator, a personal God?H
Certainly" said Mr.. Edison. The
existence of such God can, to nv
mind. almost be proved from chem
istry.''
Surely it is circumstance calculated
to excite reflection, and to cause good
deal of satisfaction, that this keen and
penetrating mind. so vigorously repre-
senting the intelligence-th mind of
a remarkable exponent of applied
science, and of a brilliant and prolific
inventor who has spent his life in deal
ing with the material part of the world
should so confidently arrive at belief
in God through a study of those media
that often obscure the perception of
spiritual things.