SCIENTISTS 



original discoveries. The former uses intuition and only calls on 

 logic and reason to confirm the finding. The latter advances 

 knowledge by gradual steps like a mason putting brick on brick 

 until finally a structure is formed. Nicolle says that intuitions were 

 so strong with Pasteur and Metchnikoff that sometimes they 

 almost published before the experimental results were obtained. 

 Their experiments were done mainly to reply to their critics. 

 Bancroft gives the following illustrations of the outlook of the 

 diflferent types of scientist. Examples of the systematic type are 

 Kelvin and Sir W. Hamilton, who said, 



" Accurate and minute measurement seems to the non- 

 scientific imagination a less lofty and dignified work than looking 

 for something new, yet nearly all the grandest discoveries are 

 made this way ", 



" In physical sciences the discovery of new facts is open to any 

 blockhead with patience and manual dexterity and acute senses." 



Contrast this last statement with one made by Davy : 



" I thank God I was not made a dextrous manipulator; the 

 most important of my discoveries have been suggested to me 

 by my failures." 



Most mathematicians are the speculative type. The following 

 remarks are attributed to Newton, Whewell and Gauss respec- 

 tively : 



" No great discovery is ever made without a bold guess," 



" Advances in knowledge are not commonly made without 

 some boldness and licence in guessing," 



" I have the result but I do not yet know how to get it." 



Most of the outstanding discoverers in biology have also been of 

 the speculative type. Huxley wrote : 



" It is a popular delusion that the scientific enquirer is under 

 an obligation not to go beyond generalisation of observed facts 

 . . . but anyone who is practically acquainted with scientific work 

 is aware that those who refuse to go beyond the facts, rarely 

 get as far." 



The following two comments, made on different occasions, reveal 

 Pasteur's views on this point : 



" If someone tells me that in making these conclusions I have 



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