THE ANCIENTS, WHOSE wisdom is so much despised by those who have never studied it, but content themselves with a pretence of understanding modern science which deceives nobody, would have smiled to observe how often the “latest discoveries” are equivalent to some fancy of Aristotle, or some speculation of Heraclitus. The remoter Picay-universities of America, which teach farming or mining, with a little “useless” knowledge as a side-course, for show, are full of bumptious little professors who would not be allowed to sweep out a laboratory in London or Berlin. The ambition of such persons is to obtain an illustrated interview in a Sunday supplement, with a full account of their wonderful discoveries, which have revolutionized the art of sucking eggs. They are peculiarly severe upon back nu
