THURSDAY, JULY 10, 1873 
. THE ENDOWMENT OF RESEARCH 
Il. 
N a recent number attention was drawn to the public 
importance of original research in the Sciences, and 
it was insisted that certain funds which lie ready to the 
hand should be devoted towards the maintenance of 
those who undertake the national duty of extending the 
bounds of scientific knowledge. 
In this article it is proposed to strengthen those 
positions by a reference to the already published evidence 
of the Royal Commission at present inquiring into “ Scien- 
tific Instruction and the Advancement of Science.” The 
object of the labours of the Commission is twofold, but 
concerning the former part nothing need now be said, 
except that regulated activity in independent investigation 
is the main condition upon which depends successful 
teaching alike in the individual professor, and the 
_ scientific schools of the nation. 
The Commission was especially directed to ascertain 
how far the endowments of the Universities and Colleges 
might be directed to aid the needs of Science. On this 
point much valuable evidence was given by several 
distinguished members of our two wealthy Universities, 
and there was a general agreement of opinion that so far 
as Instruction and Examination are concerned, the Uni- 
versities are showing a praiseworthy disposition to 
encourage their scientific students. On the other hand, 
it was universally admitted that the Oxford Science- 
school, despite the excellent teaching of its professors, 
is not progressing so well as might be expected, and that 
the University is lamentably deficient in that part of its 
functions which is concerned with the promotion of 
knowledge for its own sake. 
Among the Oxford witnesses Sir B. Brodie, who was at 
the time that he gave his evidence Waynflete Professor of 
Chemistry, is conspicuous as well for the precision with 
which he pointed out the causes of the present defects, as 
for the definiteness of the scheme by which he proposed 
to remedy them. According to him, “ Universities are 
Institutions of which the object is, in the first place, to 
promote scientific education and to diffuse scientific 
knowledge, and in the second place to preserve and to 
extend scientific knowledge.” He was of opinion that 
“the latter of these duties is at present not sufficiently 
kept in view, whereas in old days the case had been dif- 
ferent.” His suggestions were that “the University 
should establish, on a larger scale than now, museums 
and scientific collections, for the present ones are orga- 
nised too much with a purely educational object ; and 
secondly (a point to which he attached by far the most 
importance), that the means of existence and of scientific 
study should be provided for certain professors or indi- 
viduals, by whatever name they may be called, whose 
chief function should be scientific investigation and the 
representation and advancement of their various special 
Sciences.” 
He further went on to suggest that “these professors 
- should be, to a great extent, separate from the ordinary 
teaching staff of the University, professors of the Science 
No, 193—VOL. vu, 
NATURE 
197 
itself, rather than professors of the teaching of the 
Science’: ” that “in their lectures they should give to the 
public what they have attained for themselves, and have 
under them a limited number of pupils as assistants in 
their own original researches.” The case of Liebig at 
Giessen will naturally suggest itself to our readers as an 
apt illustration of the particular mode of advancing 
Science here advocated ; and from the evidence of Sir 
W. Thompson before the Commissioa it may be learnt 
that both at Glasgow and at Owens College a somewhat 
similar plan is being energetically carried out. 
Sir B. Brodie, however, would appear with charac- 
teristic oe to go even one step beyond this, for he in- 
stances as “a capital example of such a foundation as he 
would desire the Radcliffe Observatory at Oxford, where 
the observer gives no lectures at all, is not even attached 
to the University, but solely put there to do astronomical 
work. The Board of Curators, themselves not necessarily 
members of the University, having large funds at their 
disposal, give to the observer whatever he wants, whilst 
he on his part, as the sole evidence of his industry, makes 
an annual report on the condition of the observatory and 
the work done, and publishes certain tables.” Here we 
also think that we have found, so far as the theory of the 
institution goes, an admirable model of the manner in 
which the cultivation of Science for its own sake may be 
endowed with great advantage to the country and without 
any manifest risk of sinecurism. In the language of the 
Dean of Christ Church, “ we should very much like to see 
eminent men residing at Oxford only partially employed 
in teaching, but employing a great part of their time in 
scientific research.” 
With reference to the endowment of research here ad- 
vocated it is necessary that a warning should be explicitly 
given against dangers which threaten from two different 
sides. On the one hand it is most important, in England 
more than in other countries, that the simple pursuft of 
Science as knowledge should not be confounded with the 
practical application of scientific truth to the numberless 
arts of modern civilisation. Applied Science is a profes- 
sion which promises to become of a highly remunerative 
character. The analyst, the engineer, and the electrician 
May require pecuniary help and regulation from the 
Central Government for their technical schools, but they 
emphatically do not require to be themselves supported 
by national endowments. On the other hand, the ordi- 
nary scientific teacher at the universities, where not 
the poor but the rich as a rule are taught, should 
not in our opinion be regarded gwd@ teacher as the 
proper recipient of the funds of an endowment. It 
may very well be that while education in Science is 
struggling towards recognition, the teachers may claim 
some sort of aid to put them on a level with those 
branches of instruction which have the advantage 
of ancient prestige ; it may also be thought advantageous 
that certain teachers should receive endowments, not for 
the tuition they give, but for the investigations they are 
carrying on independently of their other work; yet it 
must be granted that either of these cases is of an excep- 
tional character. 
On all hands are to be seen the disastrous conse- 
quences of endowing teaching proper, and of compelling 
original research to take its chance at the hands of the 
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