Coi'rexpofuh'ucc imth A Ijthoii^f, de Candolle 1 53 



great social mnchine in Hteady work. The Hurplus ia considerable, nnd may be tiiiipoited of in 

 various wiiys. I>'t u.s now put ourNcIvi-s in thu poHition of lulvocnt** of s. ' ' ' ' .in- 



sider from that point of view how the surplus capabilitit's of tlic nation i to 



its furth«ran(-('. Mow can the t^ustoH of men Ikj ntost powerfully acted u|jun, to utlccl them 

 towards scionct! I 



The iarfjo wilegory of innate tastes is practically In-yond our iminc<liate influence, but though 

 we cannot incn>ns(> the national store, we ntn-il not waste it, as we do now. Kvory instance in 

 which a man having an aptitude to succe<'d in science is t^-niptcfl by circumstances which might 

 be controlle<l to (K'cupy himself with subjectw of less national value is a public calamity. 

 Aptitudes and tastes for occupations which enrich the thoughts and productive powers of roan 

 are as much articles of national wealth a.s coal and iron, and their waste is as reprehensible. 

 Educational inonoiwlies, which offer numerous and great prizes for work of other descriptions, 

 have caused enormous waste of scientific; ability, by inducing those who might have succe«lefl 

 in science to spend their energies with small effect on uncongenial occupations When a pursuit 

 is instinctive and the will is unt^ixed, an immense amount of work may lie accomplished with 

 ease." (pp. 222 3.) 



" It is clear to all who have knowledge of the scope of modern science, that there exists an 

 inimenKC deal of national work which has to Ije performe<l, and which none hut men of scientific 

 culture ar<^ (|ualitied to undertake. Scientific superintendence is ri-quired for all kiiuls of tech- 

 nical education, for statistical investigations of innumerable kinds, and deductions fnini them; 

 for sanitrtry administration in the hnxwlest sense ; for agriculture, mining, industrial occupations, 

 war, engineering. There is everywhere a demand for scientific asses.sors, who shall di.seover how 

 to economise effort and find out new processes and fruitful principle.s. Professional duties 

 genendly ought to he more closely bound up with strictly scientific work than they are at 

 present; and this requirement would tend to foster scientific ta.stes in minds which had little 

 inl)orn tendency that way." (pp. 224-5.) 



Tlie reader, who remembers that this was written about 1873, before 

 the foundation of most of our technical scliools and engineering laboratories, 

 and academic agricultural schools — to say nothing of the public health ser- 

 vice — will gnusp Galton's foresight. 'War' and 'statistical investigations of 

 innumerable kinds' — both illustrations of the important future tasks of 

 science — were chosen with surpassing aptness in 1873! 



And again : 



"It seems to mo that the interpretation to Iw put on the replies we have now been con- 

 sidering, is that a love of science might be largely exU-nded by fostering, not thwarting, innate 

 tendencies, by the extension of scientific jirofcssional appointments and professorships, by 

 tissimilating in some ca.s<'s the English system of teaching to that of the Sootch, and by creating 

 travelling and other fellowships which shall enable their holders to view nature in various 

 aspects, and to work with foreigners, whose habits of thought are fruitful in tlieinseUes but of 

 a different kind to our own." (pp. 225-6.) 



Among such fellowships Galton then demands the establishment of 

 medical research fellowships. 



"1 appeal to capiUilists, who know not what use, free from abust", t4) make of their surplus 

 wealth, to consider this want. They might greatly improve the practical skill of the English 

 medical profession by affording opportunities of pnilonge<l study. They might perhaps themselves 

 reap some part of the Ijenefit of it. A young medical man has now to waste the most vigorous 

 years of his life in misenible mutine work simjily to obtain bread, until he has been able to 

 establish his reputation. He has no breathing-time allowetl him ; the cares of mature life press 

 too closely upon his student days to give him the opportunities of prolonged study that are 

 necessary to ot-complish him for his future profession." (pp. 226-7.) 



How long after 1874 was the seed of that idea to l'- 



P Q II 



1"iried, before the 

 ao 



