A PLEA FOR PURE SCIENCE. 4 i 



what is known, in the reading of the scientific journals, and the discus- 

 sions therein contained of the current scientific questions, one would 

 obtain an impulse to work, even though it did not before exist. And 

 the same spirit which prompted him to seek what was already known 

 would make him wish to know the unknown. And I may say that 1 

 never met a case of thorough knowledge in my own science, except in 

 the case of well-known investigators. I have met men who talked 

 well, and I have sometimes asked myself why they did not do some- 

 thing ; but further knowledge of their character has shown me the 

 superficiality of their knowledge. I am no longer a believer in men 

 who could do something if they would, or would do something if they 

 had a chance. They are impostors. If the true spirit is there, it will 

 show itself in spite of circumstances. 



As I remarked before, the investigator in pure science is usually a 

 professor. He must teach as well as investigate. It is a question 

 which has been discussed in late years as to whether these two func- 

 tions would better be combined in the same individual, or separated. 

 It seems to be the opinion of most that a certain amount of teaching 

 is conducive, rather than otherwise, to the spirit of research. I myself 

 think that this is true, and I should myself not like to give up my 

 daily lecture. But one must not be overburdened. I suppose that 

 the true solution, in many cases, would be found in the multiplication 

 of assistants, not only for the work of teaching, but of research. Some 

 men are gifted with more ideas than they can work out with their 

 own hands, and the world is losing much by not supplying them with 

 extra hands. Life is short : old age comes quickly, and the amount 

 one pair of hands can do is very limited. What sort of shop would 

 that be, or what sort of factory, where one man had to do all the work 

 with his own hands ? It is a fact in nature, which no democracy can 

 change, that men are not equal that some have brains, and some 

 hands. And no idle talk about equality can ever subvert the order of 

 the universe. 



I know of no institution in this country where assistants are sup- 

 plied to aid directly in research. Yet why should it not be so ? And 

 even the absence of assistant professors and assistants of all kinds to 

 aid in teaching is very noticeable, and must be remedied before we 

 can expect much. 



There are many physical problems, especially those requiring exact 

 measurements, which can not be carried out by one man, and can only 

 be successfully attacked by the most elaborate apparatus, and with a 

 full corps of assistants. Such are Regnault's experiments on the fun- 

 damental laws of gases and vapors, made thirty or forty years ago by 

 aid from the French Government, and which are the standards to this 

 day. Although these experiments were made with a view to the prac- 

 tical calculation of the steam-engine, yet they were carried out in such 

 a broad spirit that they have been of the greatest theoretical use. 



