438 the president's address. 



communicated in 1908, however, was less than usual. From my 

 experience of the Club I cannot think that this is to be explained 

 by any diminution of enthusiasm amongst the members, though 

 perhaps over-diffidence and modesty may, in some cases, account 

 for backwardness in coming forward with contributions. I 

 venture to think, however, that diminished productiveness is 

 perhaps largely due to a tendency among microscopists to be too 

 diffuse in their work, and to attempt to cover too wide a field. 

 The time is past when a man can expect to make any real 

 contribution to knowledge by spreading his observations over the 

 whole vast range of microscopic objects. In these days, in which 

 the output of research on every subject is enormous, and is 

 increasing rather than diminishing, a man is more likely to make 

 progress and do useful work by taking up a special line and 

 sticking to it. Speaking for those who work ivith, rather than 

 at, the microscope, I would advise every one who wishes his 

 work to be fruitful in results to have a hobby of his own. 

 We have amongst our members many shining examples of the 

 value of this method of work, and, as a matter of fact, it is 

 to such that nearly all the original work done by our Club 

 is due. In making this suggestion I do not mean that we 

 are all to become narrow sjDecialists, interested in nothing but 

 our own particular subject. It would be fatal to the social 

 life of our Club and to the success of our meetings if no one 

 could feel any interest in anything that other people are 

 doing. Specialisation in work and in research does not neces- 

 sarily mean specialisation in knowledge or in interests. The 

 great value of such a club as ours is that by bringing together 

 people occupied in different branches of work it enables one 

 man to know what another man is achieving in a different 

 line, thereby at once widening his outlook and stimulating him 

 in his own work by producing a healthy spirit of emulation. 



My advice, therefore, to the microscopist would be that he 

 should aim at wide knowledge and diffuse interests, but should 

 concentrate his activities and focus his attention on his own 

 particular pet hobby, so that, by mastering a branch of natural 

 knowledge, he may find himself in a position to advance it. 

 However limited the field of study may be, however insignifi- 

 cant the objects may appear, yet something can always be- 

 found which, on the one hand, will illustrate some important 



