228 LIFE AND WORK OF SIR JAGADIS C. BOSE 



Thirty-two years ago I chose the teaching of science as 

 my vocation. It was held that by its very peculiar con- 

 stitution, the Indian mind would always turn away from the 

 study of Nature to metaphysical speculations. Even had 

 the capacity for inquiry and accurate observation been 

 assumed to be present, there were no opportunities for their 

 employment ; there were neither well-equipped laboratories 

 nor skilled mechanicians. This was all too true. It is not 

 for man to complain of circumstances, but bravely to 

 accept, to confront and to dominate them ; and we belong 

 to that race which has accomplished great things with 

 simple means. 



FAILURE AND SUCCESS 



This day twenty-three years ago, I resolved that as far 

 as the whole-hearted devotion and faith of one man counted, 

 that would not be wanting, and within six months it came 

 about that some of the most difficult problems connected 

 with Electric Waves found their solution in my laboratory, 

 and received high appreciation from Lord Kelvin, Lord 

 Rayleigh, and other leading physicists. The Royal Society 

 honoured me by publishing my discoveries and offering of 

 their own accord an appropriation from the special Parlia- 

 mentary Grant for the advancement of knowledge. That 

 day the closed gates suddenly opened, and I hoped that the 

 torch that was then lighted would continue to burn brighter 

 and brighter. But man's faith and hope require repeated 

 testing. For five years after this the progress was uninter- 

 rupted ; yet when the most generous and wide appreciation 

 of my work had reached almost the highest point there came 

 a sudden and unexpected change. 



LIVING AND NON-LIVING 



In the pursuit of my investigations I was unconsciously 

 led into the border region of physics and physiology and was 

 amazed to find boundary lines vanishing and points of contact 



