The time was not yet ripe for the growth of mathematical science among us, and any development that might have taken place in that direction was rudely stopped by the civil war.

Newcomb laments the delayed maturation of advanced mathematics in the United States. He suggests that, before the mid-19th century, American institutions and intellectual culture were not yet prepared to sustain a robust research tradition in mathematical science. Any nascent progress, he argues, was then abruptly derailed by the American Civil War, which diverted resources, talent, and attention away from scholarly development. The remark reflects a broader theme in Newcomb’s historical writing: scientific growth depends not only on individual genius but also on stable institutions, education, and national priorities—conditions that war can interrupt for a generation.