Chamberss Edinburgh Journal, No. 450 | Page 3

for
anything that philosophers have to say to the contrary. What concern
have they taken in the question of education, either in promoting its
extension to the masses, or improving its quality? Our national councils,
and every deliberative public body throughout the country, spend one
half their time in wrangling about the most contemptible puerilities,
without drawing one word of indignant comment, or one effort at
correction, from the learned. The studious are like stars, and dwell apart.

Busying themselves in a world of their own, exercising no visible
influence on the current of ordinary things, is it to be wondered at that
the common people of the world put them and their pursuits almost as
entirely out of account as they do the proceedings at Melton Mowbray?
We grant it is not desirable that the cui bono should be the ruling
consideration in matters of science; but we at the same time feel, that it
would be well for it if it gave a little more attention to the social and
moral questions affecting living interests, or at least endeavoured to
bring its results to account in practical improvements of general
utility.[1]
We must recur after all to the maxim which it is mainly the object of
this paper to impress--that judicious generalisation is the indispensable
pre-requisite to a more general diffusion of knowledge. To bring it to
an apothegm--Let the man of science in seeking to enlighten himself,
pursue analysis; in seeking to enlighten the outer public, he has no
chance but in synthesis.
FOOTNOTES:
[1] We have much pleasure in acknowledging one instance of a
movement in the right direction, in connection with the Museum of
Economic Geology in London. While nothing can exceed the beauty of
the arrangements in that institution, for enabling everybody that
chooses to study the science from the actual objects, the professors
have, during the last winter, come forward with supererogatory zeal to
teach the working-classes, and to illustrate in every possible way the
bearings of the subject upon the arts and economy of life.

THE FALSE HAIR:
A TALE.
'Pray remember, Monsieur Lagnier, that I wish particularly to go out
this morning. It is now past one o'clock, and if you continue
endeavouring to do what is quite impossible, my hair will never be

dressed. You had much better plait it as usual.'
Adelaide de Varenne pronounced these words in a tone of pettishness
very unusual with her, as, giving vent to a long sigh of impatience and
weariness, she glanced hastily at the mirror on her toilet-table, and saw
there reflected the busy fingers of M. Lagnier, the hairdresser,
deliberately unfastening her hair, and preparing once more to attempt
the arrangement, which repeated failures had declared to be an
impossibility. He looked up, however, as he did so, and seemed to read
the expression of her features, for a comic mixture of astonishment and
dismay immediately overspread his own.
'Fifteen years,' he exclaimed, 'I have had the honour of daily attending
mademoiselle, and she never was angry with me before! What can I
have done to offend her?'
'Oh, nothing very serious,' replied the young girl, good-naturedly; 'but
really I wish you would not dally so long. It is of very little
consequence, I think, how one's hair is worn.'
'Why, certainly every style is equally becoming to mademoiselle,' was
the old man's polite reply. 'Nevertheless, I had set my heart upon
arranging it to-day according to the last fashion: it would suit
mademoiselle à ravir.' Adelaide laughed.
'But you see it is impossible,' she said. 'I have so very little hair; and I
am sure it is not my fault--nor,' she added archly, 'the fault of all those
infallible pomades and essences recommended to me by somebody I
know.' M. Lagnier looked embarrassed.
'Mademoiselle is so gay, she finds amusement in everything,' he replied.
'I cannot laugh upon so serious a subject.' Adelaide laughed again more
heartily than before, and M. Lagnier continued, indignantly:
'Mademoiselle does not care for the loss of her beauty, then?'
'Oh, I did not know there was any question of that!' and the young girl
suddenly resumed an expression of gravity, which completely imposed
upon the simple old man.

'You see, mademoiselle,' he continued earnestly, 'I have been
considering a long time what is best to be done. It is evident that my
pomades, usually so successful, have no effect upon your hair; owing, I
suppose, to--to---- I can't say exactly what it is owing to. It is very
strange. I never knew them to fail before. Would mademoiselle object
to wearing a slight addition of false hair?' he asked anxiously, after a
moment's pause.
'Indeed, I should not like it,' was the reply. 'Besides, Monsieur Lagnier,
you have often told me that, in all Paris,