The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1894-04-08

man VINO compfehends them but partially
and illustrates them in lame and
fragmentsry WAY. But II was the peculiarly
Of Youmans that while. on the one hand. III
could grasp the newest scientific thouaht %
surely and firmly that he seemed TO have en-.
tered into the innermost mind OF It's author
on the other hand. he could speak to the gen
eral public in convincing and stimulatipa
way that had no parallel This was the secret
Of hls power. aud there can be no question a. Ia
his influence in educating the American peo-
pie to receive the doctrine Of evolution" Else.
where a conclusive proof Of this influence IL
pointed out When such a man goes about
for seventeen years teaching scientific truths
for which the world IL ripe we may be sure
that his work IL great. albeit we have no stand
ard whereby we can exactly measure It. In
hundreds Of little towns with queer names
did this strong personality appear. and NAL e
It's way and leave it's effects In the shane OF
new thoughts. new auestioninRs. and enlarged
hospitality OF mind among the inhabitants.
The results OF all this are surely visible to-
day. In no part OF the English world has Her.
bert Spsncer's philosophy met with such q
general and cordial reception AZ in the United
States This may no doubt be largely ex-
planned by q reference TO general causes; but
as It 10 almost always necessary. along with
general causes. 10 take into the account
some personal influence. so lie II In this case
II 10 safe TO ssy that among the agencies
which during the past fifty years have broad
ened so remarkably the mind OF the American
people. very few have been more potent than
the gentle and subtle but psrvasive work
done by Edward Youmans with his lectures
and to this has been largely due the hospita-
BILE reception Of Herbert spencer's ideas"
".
Prosecuted as these lecture tours yere
chiefly In winter. through circuits OF thou
sands OF miles. 1t was often impossible for the
lecturer to avoid exposure that injured his
health. Atlast warned by attacks Of rheuma-
tism and Increased liability to catch cold. he
withdrew from the field In which he had been
so useful and from the work which he had so
thoroughly enjoyed. Again he took up liter
ary tasks. We have said that In one OF his
lectures he discussed the effects OF alcohol
The views therein expressed were now ex-
banded and embodied In . book entitled
Alcohol and the Constitution Of Man" We
should note. however. that further reflection
on the subject and change Of conviction as to
the legitimacy Of legislation IN the circum-
stances OF the case. led him to abandon the
ground he had taken. and he therefore let this
book pass out Of print The success NJ the
Chemical Chart suggested its smplihcation in
book form. A volume was accordingly pre-
pared and published In 1854 under the title OF
" The Chemical Atlas" All the qualities which
had recon M ended the Chemistry equally
marked this atlas. Both publications how
ever. were based upon the theory Of binary
when this was superseded by
the current chemical philosophy tile Che ais
try was rewritten. but as the new theories did
not lend themselves to graphic illustration.
the Atlas was not revised. and gradually fell
out OF use. We come new to q m ore i'm portant
Ever since the preparation Of
- The Class Book OF Chem istry." Youm ans had
cherished the purpose OF preparing hand
book for the household. He had carefully
studied the practical applications OF science
to heating. lighting. ventilation. and puri-
hcation OF dwellings. and had given es.
pecial attention to the subject OF foods
In relation to health and Coon
omy. Mr.. Fiske thinks that no work OF his
life better expresses his character than the
- Handbook Of Household Science" which.
after several years OF work upon It was pub
lished in 1851 This was no ordinary colieo-
lion OF scrappy comment. recipe. and apo
fhegm. but thoroughly scientific treatise on
air. water fuel. food. and cleans sing materials.
written In q simple and lucid style. and It 10
still . sound and authoritative book. The de-
N and for the volume was so satisfactory that
the author was led to ampIify It and he
planned a comprehensive " Household Cyclic
pedia." but after working at It for some time
rs opportunity offered. he bequeathed to his
brother. William. the task OF completing It,
1t was as result Of negotiations opened and
by Youmans that the Appletons In
1880. undertook to issue In parts the philo-
'ophical series projected By Mr. Herbert spen-
ser. They also published Q reprint OF the
,ame authors Social Statics," and subse-
luently selection from hisscientinc. political.
and speculative essays under the title. Illus
rations OF Universal Progress" In Mr.. Ftsks's
opinion the publication OF this selection was
! happy thought for thu reason that the
general reader has mind Of very limited ca
oacity. and usually likes to take his philoso-
ply In morsels. so that doubtless many Der
IONS were able In this way to obtain some
notion OF evolution who would have been
'imply wearied by the magnificent long -sus-
aimed argument Of First Principlsa'" A
Iecond selection. entitled "EssayA Political. |
doral. and Esthetic." followed. and served to |
WIDEN the circle Of Spencer's readers We arc |
assured that the publication OF these books |
gas experiment entirely due to Youmans's |
urgency. Moreover, as soon As they were |
eady for the mark ct he wrote reviews Of them. |
md By no means In the usual psrfunetory |
way. His reviews and notices were turned out |
~ the score and scattered about In tho |
magazines and newspapers where they |
would do the most good. Whenever. too, |
le found another writer who could be pressed |
INTO the service. he would give him SpsncsIs |
looks kindle him with spark Of his own en- |
husiasm. and set him to writing for the press.
rhs effects OF this energetic propaganda were
nultifarlous and far reaching.
We have mentioned that Youmans had to re-
Vrits his " Glass Book OF Chemistry" so As to
AXE account Of the remarkable discoveries |
6hich had overthrow the old binary theory.
This task was accom- plished for the FIRST time |
n 1863 Soon afterward he published. under
he title Of The Correlation and Conservation
4 Forces" collection Of papers By FArsday.
irove. Liebig. Carpenter. and Mayer. with an
By himself The book Was what
'eople needed and It had large sale. As .
consequence OF q first visit TO England In 1882.
'oumans had been instrumental In hAV-
nK the ApDletons reprint the works OF
'aln. Huxley. Tyndall and other Eng