262 PERSONAL PREPARATION FOR RESEARCH. 



Brewster ; also ' The Life of Sir Humphry Davy,' Thom- 

 son's ' History of Chemistry,' the various published works 

 by Drs. Jones, Tyndall, and Gladstone, containing the 

 6 Life of Faraday,' also Jevons' ' Principles of Science,' 

 vol. ii., chapter xxvi., p. 217. ; My advice is to consult 

 the lives of other men, and from them fetch examples for 

 his own imitation.' 1 



CHAPTEK XXVIII. 



CIRCUMSTANCES AND OCCUPATIONS FAVOURABLE TO SCIENTIFIC 

 RESEARCH. 



No man's abilities are so remarkably shining as not to 

 stand in need of a proper opportunity, a patron, and even the 

 praises of a friend, to recommend them to the notice of the 

 world. PLINY. 



BY far the greatest number of discoverers in physics and 

 chemistry have been teachers or lecturers ; and nearly all 

 have received a good education ; a few, however, have had 

 to instruct themselves. Many have been greatly aided in 

 acquiring the art of investigation by becoming assistants 

 to men of science ; and very few have been entirely self- 

 instructed. A very large number, especially of those in 

 chemistry, have been medical men ; a few have been 

 occupied in trade, but scarcely any have been manufac- 

 turers. A limited number have been wealthy persons, the 

 majority have had competent means, and only a few have 

 been very poor. Some of the most able discoverers were 

 of humble parentage, received a poor education, and 



1 Terence. 



