6o 4 SCIENCE PROGRESS 



art ? And how many of our most distinguished men of science 

 are now heads of British universities? 



Many other disabilities are frequently complained of and 

 resented by scientific workers. The whole system of filling 

 appointments requires careful reconsideration. Some years ago 

 an excellent article on the subject of advertising vacant appoint- 

 ments appeared in the University Review. The advertisements 

 are often issued when the post has already been practically 

 allotted — simply as a kind of show to prove impartiality on the 

 part of the advertising body. The result is that numbers of 

 candidates are tempted to put themselves to great trouble and 

 some expense, and are kept upon the tenterhooks of doubt for 

 months. Another abuse, still allowed for academical and hos- 

 pital posts, is the necessity of canvassing for appointments — 

 a very objectionable system which compels the unfortunate 

 applicant to visit a number of persons with whom he is not 

 acquainted and who often have no knowledge of his subject, 

 and to parade his virtues before them in competition with other 

 unfortunates who are in the same case. We heard some time 

 ago of a distinguished mathematician who was obliged to sue 

 humbly for a poorly-paid post before two local tradespeople — 

 and who was not accepted. Can anything show more clearly 

 than such a state of affairs the low position held by high work 

 in Britain ? Indeed the whole system so frequently adopted 

 here of allowing scientific institutions, hospitals, and even 

 universities, to be governed by committees of persons of 

 whom many have no qualifications for the work, who are often 

 not even moderately distinguished in any line, but who find 

 their profit in the position, is thoroughly discreditable ; and 

 recent disputes in the management of certain hospitals have 

 illustrated the defect. 



We have recently started the habit of giving our rare pro- 

 fessorships to foreigners — not really because the foreigners are 

 the best men for the posts, but because the institution concerned 

 likes to obtain a reputation for magnanimity. Yet foreign 

 nations are not so generous to us. As a matter of fact we 

 buy, not in the cheapest market, but in the dearest one; and 

 do so, not from motives of business, but merely out of osten- 

 tation. The same indifference to work done is often manifested 

 in the honours given by many learned bodies. We see the 

 academic laurel placed upon the brows of soldiers, sailors, and 



