Research involves substantial work. 



explosion of fulminate of silver, and Chapman by 

 one of nitrate of methyl ; and nearly every chemical 

 investigator could tell of some narrow escape of life 

 in his own experience. Any one who wishes to know 

 whether it is " very nice to be always making experi- 

 ments " should attempt the isolation of fluorine, the 

 chemical examination of some offensive substance, or 

 the determination of some difficult physical, or chemi- 

 cal problem. 



That a professorship of original research would 

 " involve substantial work " does not admit of doubt, 

 and therefore " there would be some security that it 

 would be worthily bestowed." It would not become 

 an "ornamental sinecure," in which "there is pay 

 but no work," unless, by assigning to it too large a 

 stipend, inducement was held out to that numerous 

 class of persons whose love of money is stronger than 

 their love of truth, to seek the office ; to say the 

 utmost, it could hardly become so largely a sinecure 

 as many offices now held by ecclesiastics. Jobbery 

 and abuse of patronage would be still further pre- 

 vented by making the duties sufficiently heavy. 



The appointment, and remuneration by salary, of 

 professor of research, would not lessen the inde- 

 pendence of scientific men if the office was not placed 

 under the superintendence of active and interfering 

 officials ignorant of science. Although the professors 

 might not be highly paid, the appointment would in- 

 crease their independence, because it would be one of 

 the most honourable to which scientific men could 



