Ixxxii REPOKT — 1873. 



imagination with materials of surpassing grandeur and brilliancy, while at 

 the same time affording the widest scope for its efforts. 



The foregoing considerations respecting the meaning and use of scientific 

 work wiU, I trust, afford us aid in considering what measures ought to be 

 taken in order to promote its advancement, and what we can do to further 

 the adoption of such measures. 



Like any other natural phenomenon, the growth of knowledge in the 

 human mind is favoured and promoted by certain circumstances, impeded or 

 arrested by others ; and it is for us to ascertain from experience what those 

 circumstances respectively are, and how the favourable ones can be best com- 

 bined to the exclusion of the others. 



The best and noblest things in this world are the result of gradual growth, 

 by the free action of natural forces ; and the proper function of legislation is 

 to systematize the conditions most favourable to the free action which is 

 desired. 



I shall consider the words " Advancement of Science " as referring to the 

 develoijment and extension of our systematic knowledge of natural phenomena 

 by investigation and research. 



The first thing wanted for the work of advancing science is a supply of 

 well-qualified workers. The second thing is to place and keep them under 

 the conditions most favourable to their efficient activity. The most suitable 

 men must be found while still young, and trained to the work. Now I know 

 only one reaUy effectual way of finding the youths who are best endowed by 

 nature for the purpose ; and that is to systematize and develope the natural 

 conditions which accidentally concur in particular cases, and enable youths to 

 rise from the crowd. 



The first of these is that a young man gets a desire for knowledge by seeing 

 the value and beauty of some which ho has acquired. When he has got this 

 desire, he exerts himself to increase his store ; and every difficulty surmounted 

 increases his love of the pursuit, and strengthens his determination to go on. 

 His exertions are seen by some more experienced man, wlio helps him to 

 place himself under circumstances favourable to further progress. He then 

 has op]5ortunities of seeing original inquiries conducted, perhaps even of aid- 

 ing in them ; and he longs to prove that he also can work out new truths, and 

 make some permanent addition to human knowledge. If his circumstances 

 enable him to prosecute such work, and he succeeds in making some new ob- 

 servations worthy of publication, he is at once known by them to the com- 

 munity of scientific men, and employed among them. 



We want, then, a system which shall give to the young favourable oppor- 

 tunities of acquiring a clear and, as far as it goes, a thorough knowledge of 

 some few truths of nature such as they can understand and enjoy ^ — which shall 

 afford opportunity of further and further instruction to those who have best 

 profited by that which has been given to them, and are anxious to obtain 

 more — which shall enable the best students to see what original investigation 

 is, and, if possible, to assist in carrying out some research — and, finally, 

 which shall supply to each student who has tlie power and the will to 

 conduct researches, all material conditions which are requisite for the 

 j)urpose. 



But investigators, once found, ought to be placed in the circumstances most 

 favourable to their efficient activity. 



The first and most fundamental condition for this is, that their desire for 

 the acquidtion of knowledge be kept alive and fostered. Tlioy must not 

 merely retain the hold which they have acquired on the general body of their 



