SWEATING THE SCIENTIST 603 



so unwise or so high-minded as themselves. The opening 

 which they may have taken five years previously is now closed 

 to them ; and they are compelled to spend the rest of their life 

 under the paralysing influences described above. This also is 

 the actual fact ; and it must evidently produce a disastrous 

 influence, not only on the men who suffer, but also upon the 

 great studies to which they devote themselves. The most 

 capable graduates are already beginning to perceive the truth 

 and to avoid the toils. The elder men, seeing that investigation 

 leads to nothing, tend to interest themselves only in teaching, 

 compilation of text-books, and attendance upon committees. 

 The enthusiasm and concentration which when found together 

 are called genius become impossible ; and we look almost in 

 vain for that high devotion to science which is the only quality 

 she rewards with success. And the punishment does not really 

 fall so heavily upon the worker himself — his enthusiasm for 

 science may quite possibly compensate him for such troubles 

 as those mentioned above. But the punishment falls upon his 

 family ; it falls upon the institution which employs him ; it falls 

 upon the nation which allows such a thing; and it falls upon 

 science herself. 



Besides the low rate of pay given, there are, in this country 

 at least, many small abuses attached to high intellectual work. 

 Even such funds as may be allotted are not used to the best 

 advantage. Large portions of the income of many institutions 

 are given to the maintenance of more or less useless pursuits — 

 which were useful pursuits in the past, but no longer serve the 

 world, or indeed serve it only in a negative sense. Originality 

 and success in research do not receive their due place in selec- 

 tion for appointments. The best paid posts are seldom given 

 for the best work done, but rather for qualities which are 

 of little account — popularity, eloquence, text-book knowledge, 

 private influence, and skill in the arts of time-service. For 

 obvious reasons it is impossible to cite examples, but the fact 

 remains. Of the few Britons of to-day who have done world- 

 service, how many hold the leading public posts even in their 

 own domain ? We appear to judge men, not by the work which 

 they have done, but by the work which we may imagine, from 

 their appearance, that they may do if we give them an oppor- 

 tunity. How many of our most distinguished writers, for 

 example, have received academic posts for teaching their own 



