The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-12-24
SHORT STORIES OF GREAT MEN.
sI<epticism as to New Discoveries.
French Academy and the Crab.


From the ST. Louis Globe Democrat.
Absent mindedness seems to be "a COM
mon failing among great men. An anus
ing story is told of the late Louis Pasteur,
who so distinguished himself by his dis
coveries in regard to bacteria. While din
ing at his son-in-law's one evening, it
was noticed that he dipped his cherries
in his glass of water and then carefully
wiped them before eating them. AS this
caused some amusement, he held forth at
length on the dangers of the microbes with
which the cherries were covered. Then
he leaned back in his chair, wiped his
forehead, and, unconseiousiy picking up
his glass, drank off the contents, microbes
and all.
A friend calling upon Peter Burrowes a
celebrated Irish barrister, one morning
in his dressing room, found him shaving
himself with his face to the wall, and ask
ed him why he chose so strange an atti-
tude. The answer was ITO look in the
glass. why, there is no glass there"
said the friend BLESS mep' exclaimed
Burrowes. II did not notice that before. ;"
Then, ringing the bell, he called the SER
want, and questioned him respecting the
locking glass. "Oh, sir" said the servant
lit was broken six weeks ago" A Ger
tain learned professor at Cambridge is
very absent-mnded man. friend Of
his had been seriously ILL., When he was
convalescent the professor used to send
him jellies and delicacies. One day he
took him fine bunch OF hot-house grapes.
The old friends were very pleased to see
each other, and were soon deep in a dis
cussion. The professor, becoming inter
ested, began absent mindedly picking the
grapes, taking one at a time til they were
all gone. On going out of the door he
called back to his friend: Now. mind
you. eat those grapes; they will do you
all the good in the world" A weIl-knowa
archbishop was also noted for his absent
mindedness. Dining at home one evening
he found fault with the flavor of the soup.
Next evening he dined out at q large din
ner party. Forgetting for the moment
that he was not in his own house. but
a guest, he observed across the table 10
his wife: This soup is again, my dear
a failure"
Near,y all great scientific discoveries
have been combatted and misunderstood,
even by great men. Admiral Sir Charles
Napier hercely opposed the introduction
Of steam power into the royal navy. and
one day exclaimed in the House OF Com
mons MIR. Speaker, when we enter her
majesty's naval service and face the
chances of war we go prepared 70 be hack
eu 70 pieces Dy GutldASeS. TO be rlddled
with bullets, or be blown to bits by shot
and shen, but, Mr. Speaker we do not
go prepared to be boiled afivev' The iasl
words he brought out with tremendous
emphasis. Steam power in men-of-war with
boilers which at any moment might be
shattered by an enemy's shot-this was
prospect the gallant sailor could not face.
Yet in a few years, Sir Charles Napier
found himself In command OF the largest
steam navy that the world had ever seen.
Lord Stanley subsequently the great Lord
Derby presided over select committee
of the House OF Commons 10 examine into
the state of steam navigation. George
Stephenson, the eminent engineer. who
was examined, spoke Of the probability Of
steamships crossing the Atlantic. Good
heavens what do you say?" exclaimed
Lord Stanley, rising from his seal. "If
steamships cross the Atlantic / will eat
the boiler OF the FIRST boat" That pledge
was never redeemed.
In more recent years lord chancellor
even after he had seen a theater iiiumlnst-
cd without candle or oil. poured ridicule on
a scheme for supplying every house in
London with gas IN the same manner al
they are now supplied with water bv the
New river company" Again, so eminent
a chemist and gas specialist as Sir Hum
phrey Dayy himself Is alleged 10 have
said on one occasion that IL was a. rea-
sonabie 90 tax Of Ventllating I.Osdon with
wlnd-mils az Of lighting " with sas. II
Is q historical fact that when me houses
81 Parliament were rrst lighted " gas