She wanted to know how the fruit tasted. She found out, but six
thousand years have deplored that unhealthful curiosity. Healthy
curiosity has done a great deal for letters, for art, for science and
for religion. It has gone down into the depths of the earth with the
geologist and seen the first chapter of Genesis written in the book of
nature illustrated with engraving on rock, and it stood with the
antiquarian while he blew the trumpet of resurrection over buried
Herculaneum and Pompeii, until from their sepulchre there came up
shaft and terrace and amphitheatre. Healthful curiosity has enlarged
the telescopic vision of the astronomer until worlds hidden in the
distant heavens have trooped forth and have joined the choir praising
the Lord. Planet weighed against planet and wildest comet lassoed with
resplendent law.