| Show american astronomers when lord kelvin died the world showed that its imagination had been seized by the quality 0 the man and by something in his work deeper than technical achievement and larger than a mere list of scientific discoveries that quality and that deeper cance were the man s imagination hla scientific projections ot thought into the unknown it was suggested at the time that the american man of science and letters Is deficient in courage imaginative sweep the power to make large correlations whether or not this Is true in general there is one branch of science in which the ameri can has shown daring and largeness of vision astronomy we the cal people are assiduous star gazers independent and constructive the work of the late prof A young of rowland and S P langley in solar chemistry the audacious conclusions of prof perceval val low ell from surface markings on the planet mars and the varied labors of the and prof simon newcomb not to men alon many other workers in this field i make an important contribution lo 10 imaginative science hio other man fest atlon of the theoretical mind exists ln this country amid such happy con dillons the youths companion sug bests that the clearness of our air has no doubt encouraged observation the most remarkable progress in the manufacture of large lenses during the last years was made by the clarks of cambridge and their success is at once the cause and the re suit of the tact that there are nearly as many large instruments in the united states as in all the rest of the world draper lick yerkes and other rich men have put into the hands of astronomy a magnificent equipment in this one subject at least circum t stance and spirit have joined to promote the of imaginative science |
