Nature and the dignity of
spirit. That he would have made a distinguished scientific man, we may
be as certain from his writings as we may be certain, when we see a fine
old horse of a certain stamp, that he would have made a first-class
hunter, though he has been unfortunately all his life in harness.
Therefore, did I try to train a young man of science to be true, devout,
and earnest, accurate and daring, I should say--Read what you will: but
at least read Carlyle. It is a small matter to me--and I doubt not to
him--whether you will agree with his special conclusions: but his
premises and his method are irrefragable; for they stand on the
"voluntatem Dei in rebus revelatam"--on fact and common sense.

And Mr. Carlyle's writings, if I am correct in my estimate of them, will
afford a very sufficient answer to those who think that the scientific
habit of mind tends to irreverence.

Doubtless this accusation will always be brought against science by those
who confound reverence with fear. For from blind fear of the unknown,
science does certainly deliver man. She does by man as he does by an
unbroken colt. The colt sees by the road side some quite new object--a
cast-away boot, an old kettle, or what not. What a fearful monster! What
unknown terrific powers may it not possess! And the colt shies across
the road, runs up the bank, rears on end; putting itself thereby, as many
a man does, in real danger. What cure is there? But one; experience. So
science takes us, as we should take the colt, gently by the halter; and
makes us simply smell at the new monster; till after a few trembling
sniffs, we discover, like the colt, that it is not a monster, but a
kettle. Yet I think, if we sum up the loss and gain, we shall find the
colt's character has gained, rather than lost, by being thus disabused.
He learns to substitute a very rational reverence for the man who is
breaking him in, for a totally irrational reverence for the kettle; and
becomes thereby a much wiser and more useful member of society, as does
the man when disabused of his superstitions.

From which follows one result. That if science proposes--as she does--to
make men brave, wise, and independent, she must needs excite unpleasant
feelings in all who desire to keep men cowardly, ignorant, and slavish.
And that too many such persons have existed in all ages is but too
notorious. There have been from all time, goetai, quacks, powwow men,
rain-makers, a