ADDRESS. IXXXV 



couragcd in these cflforts by the sympathy of his colleagues, and often aided 

 by suggestions derived from their experience in teaching other branches of 

 science, or by information respecting doctrines or methods which throw a 

 light upon those of his own subject. 



No known conditions are so well calculated to give a young investigator 

 the closest and strongest grasp of his subject of which he is capable as those 

 in which he is placed while thus earnestly teaching it in a college ; and in- 

 asmiieh as a thorough mastery of known truths is needed by every one who 

 would work to advantage at the discovery of new truths of that kind, it will, 

 in most cases, be an object of ambition to the ablest young investigators to 

 get an opportunity of going through the work of teaching in a college, in 

 order to improve themselves to the utmost for the work of original research. 

 There is, however, another advantage to them in having such work to do; 

 for the best way to ascertain at any one time what additions may be made 

 to a science, is to examine the facts which have been discovered last, and to 

 consider how far they confirm and extend the established ideas of the science, 

 how far they militate against those ideas. An investigating teacher is con- 

 stantly weaving new facts into the bodj^ of his science, and forming antici- 

 pations of new truths by considering the relation of these new facts to the 

 old ones. 



"When our investigator has thus got a thoroiigh mastery of his science and 

 new ideas for its extension, he ought to have the opportimity of turning his 

 improved powers to account by devoting more of his time to original research ; 

 in fact he ought to teach research by example more than hitherto, and less by 

 elementary exercises upon known facts. If he has discharged the duties of 

 his first post with manifest efliciency, he will be promoted, either in his own 

 or some other college, to a chair affording more leisure and facility for 

 original research by his own hands and by those of his assistants and pupils. 

 Some investigators may find it desirable to give up after a while all teaching 

 of previously published truths, and confine themselves to guiding the original 

 researches of advanced pupils, while stimulating them by the example of 

 their own discoveries. But most of them wiU probably prefer to do elemen- 

 tary teaching work from time to time, for the sake of the opportunity of 

 going over the groundwork of their science, with a knowledge of the new 

 facts and enlarged ideas recently established. 



Now it must be observed that such a system as the above, once developed 

 to its proper proportions, so as to send annually to secondary schools many 

 thousands of poor children who would otherwise never enjoy such advantages, 

 and so as to train to original investigation a corresponding proportion of 

 them, would not only provide more young investigators than would be needed 

 for systematic teaching functions, but would also give a partial training of the 

 same kind to many whose abilities proved to be insufficient, or whose tastes 

 were not congenial to such pursuit. Some would be tempted by an advan- 

 tageous opening in an industrial pursuit or in the public service to break ojff 

 their studies before completion, and others would find, after completing their 

 training, a position of that kind more desirable or more attainable than a 

 purely scientific appointment. Not only would much good of other kinds be 

 accomplished by this circumstance, but we may say with confidence that 

 the system could not work with full advantage for its own special purpose of 

 promoting the advancement of science if it did not diffuse a knowledge of 

 the truths and methods of science beyond the ciixle of teachers. 



There is an urgent need of accurate scientific knowledge for the direction 

 of manufacturing processes, and there could not be a greater mistake than to 



