58 AUTOBIOGRAPHY. [ch. n. 



Therefore, my success as a man of science, whatever this 

 may have amounted to, has been determined, as far as I can 

 judge, by complex and diversified mental qualities and con- 

 ditions. Of these, the most important have been the love 

 of science unbounded patience in long reflecting over any 

 subject industry in observing and collecting facts and a 

 fair share of invention as well as of common-sense. With 

 such moderate abilities as I possess, it is truly surprising 

 that I should have influenced to a considerable extent the 

 belief of scientific men on some important points. 



