Theyrisebeforeme,thedeadandtheliving,inthemidstofthemostgratefulrecollections。Thefair,manlyfaceandstatelyfigureofmyfriend,Dr。SamuelParkman,himselffitforthehighestofficesofteaching,yetwillingtobemyfaithfulassistantinthetimeofneed,comebacktomewiththelongsighofregretforhisearlylosstoourearthlycompanionship。EveryyearIspeaktheeulogyofDr。
Ainsworth’spatienttoilasIshowhiselaboratepreparations:WhenI
takedownmy“AmericanCyclopaedia“andborrowinstructionfromthelearnedarticlesofDr。Kneeland,Iceasetoregretthathisindefatigableandintelligentindustrywasturnedintoabroaderchannel。AndwhatcanIsaytoocordialofmylongassociatedcompanionandfriend,Dr。Hodges,whoseadmirableskill,workingthroughtheswiftestandsurestfingersthateverheldascalpelamongus,hasdelightedclassafterclass,andfilledourMuseumwithmonumentswhichwillconveyhisnametounborngenerations?
Thisdaybelongs,however,nottomyselfandmyrecollections,buttoallofuswhoteachandallofyouwholisten,whetherexpertsinourspecialtiesoralienstotheirmysteries,ortimidneophytesjustenteringtheportalsofthehallofscience。Lookinwithme,then,whileIattempttothrowsomeraysintoitsinterior,whichshallilluminateafewofitspillarsandcornices,andshowatthesametimehowmanynichesandalcovesremainindarkness。
SCIENCEisthetopographyofignorance。Fromafewelevatedpointswetriangulatevastspaces,inclosinginfiniteunknowndetails。Wecastthelead,anddrawupalittlesandfromabysseswemayneverreachwithourdredges。