the quaker colonies-第8部分
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aterial prosperity and happiness； and they certainly proved their contention in Pennsylvania。 To Quaker liberalism was due not merely the material prosperity； but prison reform and the notable public charities of Pennsylvania； in both of which activities； as in the abolition of slavery； the Quakers were leaders。 Original research in science also flourished in a marked degree in colonial Pennsylvania。 No one in those days knew the nature of thunder and lightning； and the old explanation that they were the voice of an angry God was for many a sufficient explanation。 Franklin； by a long series of experiments in the free Quaker colony； finally proved in 1752 that lightning was electricity； that is to say； a manifestation of the same force that is produced when glass is rubbed with buckskin。 He invented the lightning rod； discovered the phenomenon of positive and negative electricity； explained the action of the Leyden jar； and was the first American writer on the modern science of political economy。 This energetic citizen of Pennsylvania spent a large part of his life in research； he studied the Gulf Stream； storms and their causes； waterspouts； whirlwinds； and he established the fact that the northeast storms of the Atlantic coast usually move against the wind。
But Franklin was not the only scientist in the colony。 Besides his three friends； Kinnersley； Hopkinson； and Syng； who worked with him and helped him in his discoveries； there were David Rittenhouse； the astronomer； John Bartram； the botanist； and a host of others。 Rittenhouse excelled in every undertaking which required the practical application of astronomy； He attracted attention even in Europe for his orrery which indicated the movements of the stars and which was an advance on all previous instruments of the kind。 When astronomers in Europe were seeking to have the transit of Venus of 1769 observed in different parts of the world； Pennsylvania alone of the American colonies seems to have had the man and the apparatus necessary for the work。 Rittenhouse conducted the observations at three points and won a world…wide reputation by the accuracy and skill of his observations。 The whole community was interested in this scientific undertaking； the Legislature and public institutions raised the necessary funds； and the American Philosophical Society； the only organization of its kind in the colonies； had charge of the preparations。
The American Philosophical Society had been started in Philadelphia in 1743。 It was the first scientific society to be founded in America； and throughout the colonial period it was the only society of its kind in the country。 Its membership included not only prominent men throughout America； such as Thomas Jefferson； who were interested in scientific inquiry； but also representatives of foreign nations。 With its library of rare and valuable collections and its annual publication of essays on almost every branch of science； the society still continues its useful scientific work。
John Bartram； who was the first botanist to describe the plants of the New World and who explored the whole country from the Great Lakes to Florida； was a Pennsylvania Quaker of colonial times； farmer born and bred。 Thomas Godfrey； also a colonial Pennsylvanian； was rewarded by the Royal Society of England for an improvement which he made in the quadrant。 Peter Collinson of England； a famous naturalist and antiquarian of early times； was a Quaker。 In modern times John Dalton； the discoverer of the atomic theory of colorblindness； was born of Quaker parents； and Edward Cope； of a well…known Philadelphia Quaker family； became one of the most eminent naturalists and paleontologists of the nineteenth century； and unaided discovered over a third of the three thousand extinct species of vertebrates recognized by men of science。 In the field of education； Lindley Murray； the grammarian of a hundred years ago； was a Quaker。 Ezra Cornell； a Quaker； founded the great university in New York which bears his name； and Johns Hopkins； also a Quaker； founded the university of that name in Baltimore。
Pennsylvania deserves the credit of turning these early scientific pursuits to popular uses。 The first American professorship of botany and natural history was established in Philadelphia College； now the University of Pennsylvania。 The first American book on a medical subject was written in Philadelphia by Thomas Cadwalader in 1740； the first American hospital was established there in 1751； and the first systematic instruction in medicine。 Since then Philadelphia has produced a long line of physicians and surgeons of national and European reputation。 For half a century after the Revolution the city was the center of medical education for the country and it still retains a large part of that preeminence。 The Academy of Natural Sciences founded in Philadelphia in 1812 by two inconspicuous young men； an apothecary and a dentist； soon became by the spontaneous support of the community a distinguished institution。 It sent out two Arctic expeditions； that of Kane and that of Hayes； and has included among its members the most prominent men of science in America。 It is now the oldest as well as the most complete institution of its kind in the country。 The Franklin Institute； founded in Philadelphia in 1824； was the result of a similar scientific interest。 It was the first institution of applied science and the mechanic arts in America。 Descriptions of the first 2900 patents issued by the United States Government are to be found only on the pages of its Journal； which is still an authoritative annual record。
Apart from their scientific attainments； one of the most interesting facts about the Quakers is the large proportion of them who have reached eminence； often in occupations which are supposed to be somewhat inconsistent with Quaker doctrine。 General Greene； the most capable American officer of the Revolution； after Washington。 was a Rhode Island Quaker。 General Mifflin of the Revolution was a Pennsylvania Quaker。 General Jacob Brown； a Bucks County Pennsylvania Quaker； reorganized the army in the War of 1819。 and restored it to its former efficiency。 In the long list of Quakers eminent in all walks of life； not only in Pennsylvania but elsewhere； are to be found John Bright； a lover of peace and human liberty through a long and eminent career in British politics； John Dickinson of Philadelphia； who wrote the famous Farmer's Letters so signally useful in the American Revolution； Whittier； the American poet； a Quaker born in Massachusetts of a family converted from Puritanism when the Quakers invaded Boston in the seventeenth century； and Benjamin West； a Pennsylvania Quaker of colonial times； an artist of permanent eminence； one of the founders of the Royal Academy in England and its president in succession to Sir Joshua Reynolds。
Wherever Quakers are found they are the useful and steady citizens。 Their eminence seems out of all proportion to their comparatively small numbers。 It has often been asked why this height of attainment should occur among a people of such narrow religious discipline。 But were the Quakers really narrow； or were they any more narrow than other rigorously self…disciplined people： Spartans； Puritans； soldiers whose discipline enables them to achieve great results？ All discipline is in one sense narrow。 Quaker quietude and retirement probably conserved mental energy instead of dissipating it。 In an age of superstition and irrational religion； their minds were free and unhampered； and it was the dominant rational tone of their thought that enabled science to flourish in Pennsylvania。
Chapter V。 The Troubles Of Penn And His Sons
The material prosperity of Penn's Holy Experiment kept on proving itself over and over again every month of the year。 But meantime great events were taking place in England。 The period of fifteen years from Penn's return to England in 1684； until his return to Pennsylvania at the close of the year of 1699； was an eventful time in English history。 It was long for a proprietor to be away from his province； and Penn would have left a better reputation if he had passed those fifteen years in his colony； for in England during that period he took what most Americans believe to have been the wrong side in the Revolution of 1688。
Penn was closely tied by both interest and friendship to Charles II and the Stuart family。 When Charles II died in 1685 and his brother； the Duke of York； ascended the throne as James II； Penn was equally bound to him； because among other things the Duke of York had obtained Penn's release in 1669 from imprisonment for his religious opinions。 He became still more bound when one of the first acts of the new King's reign was the release of a great number of people who had been imprisoned for their religion； among them thirteen hundred Quakers。 In addition to preaching to the Quakers and protecting them； Penn used his influence with James to secure the return of several political offenders from exile。 His friendship with James raised him； indeed； to a position of no little importance at Court。 He was constantly consulted by the King； in whose political policy he gradually became more and more involved。
James was a Roma
