Literature and Art more valued than Science. 169 



It is evident from this, that much of the mental 

 activity around us is not progress, but rather a process 

 of maintaining present state, a prevention of decline, 

 a continually going round and round in conventional 

 varied step, a kind of intellectual mill. Under these 

 circumstances it is not the original discoverer, but he 

 who in this occupation, can best express old ideas, in 

 the most varied forms and choicest language, who is 

 most generally considered to be the greatest intel- 

 lectual chief. 



Although originality even in literature and art is very 

 imperfectly encouraged in this country, both art and 

 literature are much more readily understood and ap- 

 preciated than scientific research, and treated as if 

 they were more important. Whilst most persons can 

 understand and appreciate the gift of a work of art to 

 a public art collection, few can understand or properly 

 value the discovery and gift of a new scientific truth 

 of far greater intrinsic value to the public stock of 

 knowledge ; the treatment received by Priestley and 

 other discoverers in comparison with that of local 

 donors, sufficiently illustrates this. Even publishers 

 of lucrative newspapers prefer to give prizes and pay 

 liberally for sensational tales, than to pay for articles 

 on the public advantages of new scientific knowledge. 



