258 ENGLISH MEN OF SCIENCE. [CHAP. 



petition : they doggedly go their own way, and 

 refuse to run races. 



CONCLUSION. 



Science has hitherto been at a disadvantage, 

 compared with other competing pursuits, in en- 

 listing the attention of the best intellects of the 

 nation, for reasons that are partly inherent and 

 partly artificial. To these I will briefly refer in 

 conclusion, with especial reference to the very 

 important question as to how far the progress 

 of events tends to counterbalance or remove 

 them. 



If we class energy, intellect, and the like, 

 under the general name of ability, it follows that, 

 other circumstances being the same, those able 

 men who have vigour to spare for extra pro- 

 fessional pursuits, will be mainly governed in the 

 choice of them by the instinctive tastes of their 

 manhood. The majority will address themselves 

 to topics nearly connected with human interests ; 

 a few only will turn to science. This tendency 

 to abandon the colder attractions of science for 



