a journey in other worlds-第13部分

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by　any　high…tension　electric…light　or　power　wires；　thunderstorms；
or　anything　else。
　　　
〃Rain…making　is　another　subject　removed　from　the　uncertainties；
and　has　become　an　absolute　science。　　We　produce　clouds　by
explosions　in　the　atmosphere's　heights　and　by　surface　air　forced
by　blowers　through　large　pipes　up　the　side　of　a　mountain　or
natural　elevation　and　there　discharged　through　an　opening　in　the
top　of　a　tower　built　on　the　highest　part。　　The　aeriduct　is
incased　in　a　poor　heat…conductor；　so　that　the　air　retains　its
warmth　until　discharged；　when　it　is　cooled　by　expansion　and　the
surrounding　cold　air。　　Condensation　takes　place　and　soon　serves
to　start　a　rain。
　　　
〃Yet；　until　the　earth's　axis　is　straightened；　we　must　be　more　or
less　dependent　on　the　eccentricities　of　the　weather；　with
extremes　of　heat　and　cold；　droughts　and　floods；　which　last　are　of
course　largely　the　result　of　several　months'　moisture　held　on　the
ground　in　the　form　of　snow；　the　congestion　being　relieved
suddenly　by　the　warm　spring　rains。
　　　
〃Medicine　and　surgery　have　kept　pace　with　other
improvementsinoculation　and　antiseptics；　as　already　seen；
rendering　most　of　the　germ　diseases　and　formerly　dreaded
epidemics　impotent；　while　through　the　potency　of　electrical
affinity　we　form　wholesome　food…products　rapidly；　instead　of
having　to　wait　for　their　production　by　Nature's　slow　processes。
　　　
〃The　metric　system；　now　universal；　superseded　the　old…fashioned
arbitrary　standards；　so　prolific　of　mistakes　and　confusion；　about
a　century　ago。
　　　
〃English；　as　we　have　seen；　is　already　the　language　of　600；000；000
people；　and　the　number　is　constantly　increasing　through　its
adoption　by　the　numerous　races　of　India；　where；　even　before　the
close　of　the　last　century；　it　was　about　as　important　as　Latin
during　the　greatness　of　Rome；　and　by　the　fact　that　the　Spanish
and　Portuguese　elements　in　Mexico　and　Central　and　South　America
show　a　constant　tendency　to　die　out；　much　as　the　population　of
Spain　fell　from　30；000；000　to　17；000；000　during　the　nineteenth
century。　　As　this　goes　on；　in　the　Western　hemisphere；　the　places
left　vacant　are　gradually　filled　by　the　more　progressive
Anglo…Saxons；　so　that　it　looks　as　if　the　study　of　ethnology　in
the　future　would　be　very　simple。
　　　
〃The　people　with　cultivation　and　leisure；　whose　number　is
increasing　relatively　to　the　population　at　each　generation；　spend
much　more　of　their　year　in　the　country　than　formerly；　where　they
have　large　and　well…cultivated　country　seats；　parts　of　which　are
also　preserved　for　game。　　This　growing　custom　on　the　part　of
society；　in　addition　to　being　of　great　advantage　to　the
out…of…town　districts；　has　done　much　to　save　the　forests　and
preserve　some　forms　of　game　that　would　otherwise；　like　the
buffalo；　have　become　extinct。
　　　
〃In　astronomy　we　have　also　made　tremendous　strides。　　The
old…fashioned　double…convex　lens　used　in　telescopes　became　so
heavy　as　its　size　grew；　that　it　bent　perceptibly　from　its　own
weight；　when　pointed　at　the　zenith；　distorting　the　vision；　while
when　it　was　used　upon　a　star　near　the　horizon；　though　the　glass
on　edge　kept　its　shape；　there　was　too　much　atmosphere　between　it
and　the　observed　object　for　successful　study。　　Our　recent
telescopes　have；　therefore；　concave　plate…glass　mirrors；　twenty
metres　in　diameter；　like　those　used　for　converging　the　sun's　rays
in　solar　engines；　but　with　curves　more　mathematically　exact；
which　collect　an　immense　amount　of　light　and　focus　it　on　a
sensitive　plate　or　on　the　eye　of　the　observer；　whose　back　is
turned　to　the　object　he　is　studying。　　An　electrical　field　also
plays　an　important　part；　the　electricity　being　as　great　an　aid　to
light　as　in　the　telephone　it　is　to　sound。　　With　these　placed
generally　on　high　mountain　peaks；　beyond　the　reach　of　clouds；　we
have　enormously　increased　the　number　of　visible　stars；　though
there　are　still　probably　boundless　regions　that　we　cannot　see。　
These　telescopes　have　several　hundred　times　the　power　of　the
largest　lenses　of　the　nineteenth　century；　and　apparently　bring
Mars　and　Jupiter；　when　in　opposition；　within　one　thousand　and　ten
thousand　miles；　respectively；　so　that　we　study　their　physical
geography　and　topography；　and　we　have　good　maps　of　Jupiter；　and
even　of　Saturn；　notwithstanding　their　distance　and　atmospheric
envelopes；　and　we　are　able　to　see　the　disks　of　third…magnitude
stars。
　　　
〃It　seems　as　if；　when　we　wish　any　particular　discovery　or
invention；　in　whatever　field；　we　had　but　to　turn　our　efforts　in
its　direction　to　obtain　our　desire。　　We　seem；　in　fact；　to　have
awakened　in　the　scenes　of　the　Arabian　Nights；　yet　the　mysterious
genius　which　we　control；　and　which　dims　Aladdin's　lamp；　is　the
gift　of　no　fairy　godmother　sustained　by　the　haze　of　dreams；　but
shines　as　the　child　of　science　with　fadeless　and　growing
splendour；　and　may　yet　bring　us　and　our　little　planet　much　closer
to　God。
　　　
〃We　should　indeed　be　happy；　living　as　we　do　at　this　apex　of
attained　civilization；　with　the　boundless　possibilities　of　the
future　unfolding　before　us；　on　the　horizon　of　which　we　may　fairly
be　said　to　stand。
　　　
〃We　are　freed　from　the　rattling　granite　pavement　of　only　a
century　ago；　which　made　the　occupant　of　an　omnibus　feel　like　a
fly　inside　of　a　drum；　from　the　domination　of　our　local　politics
by　ignorant　foreigners；　and　from　country　roads　that　either　filled
the　eyes；　lungs；　and　hair　of　the　unfortunates　travelling　upon
them　with　dust；　or；　resembling　ploughed　and　fertilized　fields；
saturated　and　plastered　them　with　mud。　　These　miseries；　together
with　sea…sickness　in　ocean　travelling；　are　forever　passed；　and　we
feel　that　'Excelsior！'　is　indeed　our　motto。　　Our　new　and
increasing　sources　of　power　have　so　stimulated　production　and
manufacturing　that　poverty　or　want　is　scarcely　known；　while　the
development　of　the　popular　demand；　as　a　result　of　the　supplied
need；　is　so　great　that　there　is　no　visible　limit　to　the
diversification　of　industry　or　the　possibilities　of　the　arts。
　　　
〃It　may　seem　strange　to　some　that　apparently　so　disproportionate
a　number　of　inventions　have　been　made　in　the　last　century。　　There
are　several　reasons。　　Since　every　discovery　or　advance　in
knowledge　increases　our　chance　of　obtaining　more；　it　becomes
cumulative；　and　our　progress　is　in　geometric　instead　of
arithmetical　ratio。　　Public　interest　and　general　appreciation　of
the　value　of　time　have　also　effectively　assisted　progress。　　At
the　beginning　of　each　year　the　President；　the　Governors　of　the
States；　and　the　Mayors　of　cities　publish　a　prospectus　of　the
great　improvements　needed；　contemplated；　and　under　way　within
their　jurisdictionit　may　be　planning　a　new　boulevard；　a　new
park；　or　an　improved　system　of　sewers；　and　at　the　year's　end　they
issue　a　resume　of　everything　completed；　and　the　progress　in
everything　else；　and　though　there　is　usually　a　great　difference
between　the　results　hoped　for　and　those　attained；　the　effect　is
good。　　The　newspapers　publish　at　length　the　recommendations　of
the　Executives；　and　also　the　results　obtained；　and　keep　up　public
interest　in　all　important　matters。
　　　
〃Free　to　delve　in　the　allurement　and　fascination　of　science；
emancipated　man　goes