This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can usually download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1895 edition. Excerpt: ...If your college had been founded, it might have been an excellent college, and a real centre for scientific discovery: on the other hand, it might have failed. There is no reason that I can see why women should not advance science. They have not done so as yet; but, then, very few have attempted in that direction. As for women leading the world, either in any high line or as administrators--there, fair dreamer of dreams, I venture to differ." "Very well, but what would you do, Lucian," she asked, still with a look of open innocence, "if you--but, of course, you are too sensible--could entertain such a dream?" "If I ever entertained such a dream as you say, it would be to advance science in some way." "Just like me, then. But you would advance science only?" "Yes; because I see no hope for the advancement of the world except by science." "I have always been taught," she replied softly, "that there is a larger hope. However, what do you mean to do for the world, especially by your science?" "The possibilities of science are such that we can no more understand them than we can limit them. At the present we are still on the threshold. Future ages will ridicule us_ when they read that we thought only of prolonging life, destroying disease, alleviating pain, arresting decay. It will seem to them child's play when we proposed to lessen labour by the half--by three-quarters; to multiply food products indefinitely, to destroy poverty, to raise the standard, to lift up the poor to the level of the rich, and to make the world a garden for men and women as long as they like to live in it. Of life in the long run there would be, I take it, satiety in...