RATIONALISM AND SCIENCE 89 



hastily to throw away anything which has in it the 

 germs of future amelioration. 



Here, it seems to me, lies the greatest task of 

 our Universities in the immediate future. Be- 

 sides keeping up the standard of literary culture 

 on the one hand, and studying physical science 

 largely with a view to practical results on the 

 other, we want to found great schools of human 

 science, schools not starting with any settled 

 theories, but working hard to map out the field, 

 to find the true line of progress in past history, to 

 discern of what human nature is capable, and of 

 what it is incapable. We need both research, and 

 as a corrective to research the foundation of 

 classes of workers who may test the practical 

 validity of the theories formulated by researchers. 

 And we need these schools especially in Eng- 

 land. For we are told by all our best advisers 

 that England is falling behind other countries in 

 method and in practical efficiency. In past days, 

 from the time of Locke to that of Darwin, great 

 scientific movements have commonly started in 

 England. There is no reason why we should not 

 at least equal other nations in exploring the vast 

 field of the orderly knowledge of mankind. 



It may be said that this task will naturally fall 

 rather to the older Universities, where Humani- 

 ties flourish, while the newer foundations neces- 

 sarily devote themselves to studies of more imme- 

 diate practical application. There is no doubt 

 force in this suggestion. But the older Universi- 



