APPENDIX 



(The following: outstanding document was obtained from Prof. 

 Peter Dohrn, Director of the Naples Zoological Station. Its inclu- 

 sion in the record is for the purpose of emphasizing the approach and 

 recommendations to young oceanographers by one of the world's 

 most outstanding oceanographers, the late Prof. Fridtjof Nansen.) 



College Echoes — "Adventure" 



(By Fridtjof Nansen) 



Rectorial address delivered at St. Andrews University, October 3, 1926 



Solomon is said to have compared "the people unto the sea, and orators and 

 counselors to the wind, for that the sea would be calm and quiet if the winds did 

 not trouble it." If, in the present case, I may call you the sea, I am pretty sure 

 that you are troubled enough already without the help of any orators. And yet 

 though I have never before felt any desire to cultivate windy oratory, I do wish 

 I could be a tempest today to your credit. 



But winds, whether strong or weak, may blow from so many quarters. I 

 wonder what direction you expect me to blow from? I have been wondering 

 how on earth you ever came to think of making me your rector. Was it because, 

 long ago, long before you were born, I expect, a young fellow with the same name 

 as mine made some journeys through the frozen North? You may have heard 

 something about it when you were children. Or could it be because, during some 

 recent years, my name has happened to be connected with several undertakings 

 intended to alleviate the sufferings of unfortunate fellow creatures? 



I could not find out, and that was disheartening, as it might have given me my 

 cue for this address, the delivery of which, I understand, will be my chief duty as 

 your rector. 



But after all, why should I worry? You will not remember what it was about 

 anyhow. 



You must not think that we old people are as self-satisfied as we seem. We 

 know well enough that although you are extraordinarily nice to us, and evidently 

 like to see us — sometimes at any rate — still, to be quite honest, you often think 

 us intolerable bores with our heavy learning and good advice; at least I remember 

 I did when I was your age, and not without reason perhaps. 



Long ago La Rochefoucauld said that "old folk like to give good precepts in 

 order to console themselves for no longer being able to give bad examples." 



I do not know that we can altogether accept that definition, though there may 

 be more truth in it than we realize at first. I am sure, however, we shall all agree 

 with the same sage when he said that: "we never meet with any intelligent people 

 but those who are of the same opinion as ourselves." As a rule, it is only by sad 

 experience that we are enabled to verify the wisdom of opinions that differ from 

 ours. How much easier life would be if we could be taught by others. But the 

 real wisdom of life we have to discover with our own eyes. 



"Experience doth take dreadfully high wages," your immortal Carlyle said, 

 ^'but she teacheth like none other." Stick to that, young friends. Listen to 

 authority and age; you may learn a great deal from those who are older than 

 ourselves — but trust your own eyes still more, and keep them open. A truth 

 acquired by the use of your own eyes, though imperfect, is worth 10 truths told 

 you by others, for besides increasing your knowledge it has improved your capacity 

 to see. 



But although I believe that as strongly as any of you, here I stand nonetheless, 

 your rector, rather an old man, I am sorry to say, and I have to deliver an im- 

 proving address to you who are setting sail on your voyage through life. What 

 shall I say? 



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