396 SCIENCE PROGRESS 



Science, however, needs not only men of supreme genius, 

 but men of another class who are scarcely less meritorious 

 though fortunately much more common — the class of men who 

 are engaged upon the record and classification of observations, 

 without attempting wide generalisations. And this branch of 

 science requires qualities, not so rare and brilliant perhaps, but 

 also great — the desire to do important work, the determination 

 to attempt it, and the patience to accomplish it — and that, 

 generally without hope of any adequate recompense. Such 

 work often leads by chance to very important discoveries, and 

 has now become an actual necessity for advance. We may 

 distinguish the two classes of mind. The first is essentially the 

 solver of problems ; the second the observer of facts. To some 

 extent every man of science must be composed of both ; but in a 

 few the former essence predominates, and in most, the latter 

 one. Science may be almost said to require nine parts of 

 thought to one of observation — but there must always be some- 

 thing of both in it. 



Lombroso attempted to prove by statistics the kinship of 

 genius and madness ; but it is more probable that the latter 

 grows from the former and not the former from the latter. 

 Genius is the most terrible of all tyrants ; it exacts endless 

 service and it spares not either its victim, nor his fortune, nor 

 even his children. It is in that way that the madness lies. The 

 fire which impels also consumes. Now it burns low with 

 despondency, now it frets at each obstacle, now it overwhelms 

 with success ; and it must be fed eternally with all the man's 

 possessions. Even his cup of triumph is mingled with myrrh — 

 the scepticism of friends, the puerilities of critics, the spite of 

 ools, the jealousy of rivals, the intrigues of the schemers who 

 profit by every new discovery at the expense of the discoverer, 

 and the large indifference of the dull public. Is not all this 

 written in the book of the history of science — the poison for 

 Socrates, the flame for Bruno, the prison for Galileo and 

 Columbus, opposition for Jenner, and poverty, obloquy, or 

 neglect for scores of the world's greatest benefactors ? Nor has 

 it ceased to-day* The noblest of histories and religions is 

 based upon this theme. The greatest man of science, who 

 obtained from his study of human morality a divine medicine 

 for many of the world's evils, suffered for his work in a manner 

 which we hear of in every church to-day ; yet those who hear it 



