The Norfolk Virginian. [volume] (Norfolk, Va.) 186?-189?, 1895-04-17

remained unthought of. SO the great
discovery fingers on tho threshold Of
| its accomplishment in fact. But it
will not linger long. Electricity knows
no Lucy.
Perhaps by tomorrow" said Mr..
| Edison, I'VE may perfect the machin-
cry. Perhaps we shall have to work an
other year upon it. In truth, 1t is a very
| simple maUncr. 1t consists merely in
adjusting thoroughly understood prin-
| ciplcs to new contrivance made up of
old contrivancps. We're it not that we
| have such infinitely small sections Of
| time TO deal with, there would be 10
| difficulty at all. But, as l have told
| you, we know how to overcome the
difficulty. We simply lack practice"
Docs IL make any difference Of what
| nature the representation to be pro-
duccd isp''
AT present yes. In time, however,
it will not. Tho reproduction of such
sights and sounds as those enacted in
the opening of congress would be very
easy The spectator could sit down in
his drawing-room or office and have the
whole scene enacted in front of him.
Nor would any special apartment OF
any particular preparation be neces-
sary. But, with grand opera, it would be
more difficult. One must exercise great
care i'll securing the ensemble. There
are myriads of details connected with
She tones, the gestures, The dress, the
colors, the light, and such like. 1t is
proposed TO give these with scrupulous
fidelity. Hence the temporary cessa-
Of
give all these impressions with COM
parative cxactuess, it is intended
to be perfectly faithful to the orig
inal. 1t never does to perpetrate a
half performance. 1t IS disappoint-
ing and apt to shake confidence
III an invention. For myself, | have no
doubt whatever of the outcome. Be-
| fore many years we will have grand
opera in every little village at ten
! cents head. And the very highest
grand opera-you will hear and see Patti
| in your own parlor. She will be heard a
hundred years after her death, and
| seen, and will move and thrill her
auditors in 3O10. The presidents inau-
guration can be treated in the same
| way. Pope Leo and his cardinals NAV
be seen and heard for unuumbered cen
| turtles to come"
Mr.. Edison's blue eyes lighted up
with enthusiasm.
What way to write history" he
repeated, echoing thc words of his oues-
TONER. We'll, had never thought of
that particularly, and yet 1t is Il way to
write it, isn't il? How much more eff
fectively one could convey to future
generations an idea of the president
than words and writing could. In fact.
Written records would cease to have
their historical Importance.
Another use for the invention, name
ny, the sentimental one, had not oc-
Cured to Mr.. Edison either Yet the
machine ought to be welcomed by
iovers-it insures the perpetual pres
cncc of the adorcd object. Has not
the poet said:
Gould but hear her voice
Gould but see her face:
why do tho gods deny the Citts
Poor mortnls long for most?''
But MIR. Edison was not vet born In
Camoen's time.
Yet" went on the wizard, "these
thlngs are not as wonderful as they
seem. 1t appears to, me thet the peoplo
generally are not keeping pace with
scientific progress. What do you think
OF the idea Of vaccinating land? That
experiment, SEQ, has actually been
made with ssAccess. The object of this
process Is to improve the quality of
the soil. Tho law OF diminishing re-
turns, 80 long an iurportant factor in
political economy, is thus overcome.
10 explain the method employed so as
to be comprehensive TO the popular
mind is not easy You see, certain
roots of plants which flourish in in
ferior soils have been asoertained to
nourish a parasite. These parasites
afford the plant through their organic
functions strength and vitality. In re-
turn the parasites are fed and sus-
tanned by certain properties of the root.
One supports the other and the two to-
gother have decded effect upon the
soil in which they grow. Now this
process of nature has been successfully
applied by science. What we may term
an agricultural miss Is obtained and
the impoverished soil iuto which it is
introduced is almost.at once bettered.
The process ia permanently fertilizinu
and cannot fail to effect, in time, a revo-
luton in farming"
Here button was pressed some
wi iY,