The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1894-01-05

W.
THE LATE PROFESSOR TYNDALL.
report Of the death Of Professor Tyndall
had been published, and this American lit
terateur, musing for few moments, at
last said:
"The English speaking race has Just
1 lost the man who has pointed the way 70
/ the most popular and successful writing,
az believe, Of the immediate future. Pro
fessor Tyndnll not only did as much II not
more than any one man to make science
/ popular, and TO cause scientific subjects no
longer to be regarded with dread by those
who are fond OF light reading, but he made
Of science literature, and I might almost
say OF literature a new science. Before his
time Faraday, Sir William Thompson
who, after all, was contemporaneous with
him-and some OF the greater English
scientists mad attracted TO their lectures
and to their writings a considerable num-
Der, but these were for the most part per
sons seeking scientific instruction. Hum
boldt had indicated what might be done
with scientific subjects popularity treated,
and Hugh Miller in his enchanting work
| Old Red Ssndstone'-a book which de-
serves to he read far more nowadays than
it is-hnd shown the English people that Is
was possible TO write even Of such fnty
things as rocks entertainingly.
but after all IL remained for Tyndall to
charm vast audiences with his lectures,
written in such beautiful style that they
were understood by those who were un-
educated, while enjoyed by persons Of Gull
tivation. Proctor followed the hint that
Tyndalls lectures furnished by writing and
speaking'upon astronomy most successfully
pCcuniarily. But astronomy, unlike most
other sciences, has always appealed strong
ly TO the Imagination even Of rude and saw
age peoples. So / have been inclined TO
think, watching the development Of liter
AIRY tastes among the great masses, that the
time rs near at hand when there will arise
a great writer who will do for scientific lit
erature what, for instance, Fielding, Scott
and Dickens did for tales and romances."
The manager of one Of the lecture bureaus
in New York is reported to have said re-
Gently that If Professor Tyndall had been
willing 20 sign a contract TO deliver "a series
or two series OF lecturesin the United States.
extending perhaps for "A period Of six
months, be would have been able to TAX
bacl, 10 England with him more money than
any English reader, excepting possibly Dick
ems, or than any English actor or singer,
with the exception possibly Of Henry Irving
and Patti. lie had several propositions
from American publishers 20 write a book
upon any scientific subject that he might
choose, and the terms offered him were
probably larger than those ever mentioned
in any other contract made with an English
writer.
Nicola Tesla discovered the extraordna-
~ popular interest IN science, and especial
ly the strange and weird manifestations of
IL, when he delivered a lecture in London
in which he explained and then illustrat
ed by experiments his extraordinary dis
covcry that by certain development Of the
electric current he was able 10 transmit it
from one point to another without any 9TH
er medium than the ether which is the nat
ural medium Of electricity, and standing in
the middle Of q room through which such
current was passing holding up an mean
descent lamp, IL was Illuminated.
Tesla might have repeated that lecture
In every considerable city in the United
States. with "A guarantee from lecture man
ayers OF large sum OF money for each APP
pcamnce, and he has received propositions /
from editors Of magazines and publishers /
FOR writing both short essays and longer /
works for which lie could have been paid /
az bis own price He is however, very
busy in the commercial development OF his /
discoveries, so that he felt that he could /
not spare the time, since IL he succeeds IN /
this work he will have made for himself an /
enormous fortune.
II Edison bad consent d to accept prop 4
osition made to him b. a lecture manager /
he might have made as much as 10000 for 4
a short series Of lectures 10 be delivered in /
some of the larger cities Of the United /
States, and Edison would have furnished /
not only the int RES which attached 10 his /
personality and the value which attends /
anything which be might say upon scicn-
tihc matters, bat would have revealed a
splendid, although not polished, English
style. Tie writes with force, nervous vigor.
using strong idioms, but writes very clear
~. Edison might, too, have received many
thousands Of dollars for purely literary
work aud has been bcsct for the past two
years Tor contributions, but hc, too has no
time for such pursuit.
Tho popular interest In science romantic
ally trafed was illustrated by work re-
gently completed hy tlammarion, the ia
nous French astronomer. Ills book was not
quite sp wen received in this country. siuco
The subject. the end of the world a. viewed
from thc possibility ui -cicncr was not
pleasant o.c iut o. Was wcil received in
IinEllnd, and iu France commanded almost
ls much ufiratlou and excitement us dll
some OF thC tomanccs OF Alexandra Dumas
when they weue being published. The
next famgus writer .ud one who will 70.
,cive great fortune. wall be undoubtedly
nan who eau make scientific discoveries
,orve a literary capacity.
r. >. EDwAnDs
al forms. Of -arifa'a al, fh.un e,o ar
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