August 24, 1883.] 



SCIENCE. 



247 



time to bloom out into full prosperity. Although 

 many of them are under religious influence, where 

 truth is inculcated, and where men are taught to take 

 a low scat at the table in order that they may be hon- 

 ored by being called up higher, and not dishonored 

 by being thrust down lower, yet these institutions 

 have thrust themselves into the highest seats, and 

 cannot probably be dislodged. 



But would it not be possible to so change public 

 opinion that no college could be founded with a less 

 endowment than say $1,000,000, or no univer.-.ily 

 with less than throe or four times that amount ? 

 From the report of the commissioner of education, 

 I learn that such a change is taking place; that the 

 tendency towards large institutions is increasiiig, 

 ami that it is principally in the west and south-west 

 that the multiplication of small institutions with big 

 names is to be feared most, and that the east is al- 

 most ready for the great coming university. 



The total wealth of the four hundred colleges and 

 universities in 18S0 was about §40,000,000 in build- 

 ings, and $43,000,000 in productive funds. This 

 would be sufficient for one great university of $10,- 

 000,000, four of $5,000,000, and twenty-si.\ colleges 

 of $2,000,000 each. But such an idea can of course 

 never be carried out. Government appropriations 

 are out of the question, because no political trickery 

 must be allowed around the ideal institution. 



In the year 18S0 the private bequests to all schools 

 and colleges amounted to about $5,.i()0,000; and, 

 although there was one bequest of $1,2.")0,000, yet the 

 amotuit does not appear to be phenomenal. It would 

 thus seem that the total amount was about five mil- 

 lion dollars in one year, of which more than half is 

 given to so-called colleges and universities. It would 

 be very difficult to regulate these bequests so that 

 they might be concentrated sufficiently to produce an 

 immediate result. But the figures show that gener- 

 osity is a prominent feature of the American people, 

 and that the needs of the country only have to be 

 appreciated to have the funds forthcoming. We 

 must make the need of research and of pure science 

 felt in the country. We must live such lives of pure 

 devotion to our science, that all shall see that we ask 

 for money, not that we may live in indolent ease 

 at the expense of charity, but that we may work 

 for that which has advanced and will advance the 

 world more than any other subject, both intellectu- 

 ally and physically. We must live such lives as to 

 neutralize the influence of those who in high places 

 have degraded their profession, or have given them- 

 selves over to ease, and do nothing for the science 

 which they represent. Let us do what we can with 

 the present means at our disposal. There is not one 

 of us who is situated in the position best adapted to 

 bring out all his powers, and to allow him to do most 

 for his science. All have their difficulties, and I do 

 not think that circumstances will ever radically 

 change a man. If a man has the iustinctof research 

 in him, it will always show itself in some form. But 

 circumstances may direct it into new paths, or may 

 foster it so that what would otherwise have died as a 

 bud now blossoms and ripens into the perfect fruit. 



Americans have shown no lack of invention in 

 small things; and the same spirit, when united to 

 knowledge and love of science, becomes the spirit of 

 research. The telegraph-operator, with his limited 

 knowledge of electricity and its laws, naturally turns 

 his attention to the improvement of the only electri- 

 cal instrument he knows any thing about; and his 

 researches would be confined to the limited sphere of 

 his knowledge, and to the simple laws with which he 

 is acquainted. But as his knowledge increases, and 

 the field broadeiis before him, as he studies the math- 

 ematical theory of the subject, and the electro-mag- 

 netic theory of light loses the dim haze due to dis- 

 tance, and becomes his constant companion, the tel- 

 egraph-instrument becomes to him a toy, and his 

 effort to discover something new becomes research 

 in pure science. 



It is useless to attempt to advance science until 

 one has mastered the science: he must step to the 

 front before his blows can tell in the strife. Further- 

 more, I do not believe anybody can be thorough in 

 any department of science, without wishing to ad- 

 vance it. In the study of what is known, in the 

 reading of the scientific journals, and the discussions 

 therein contained of the current scientific questions, 

 one would obtain an impulse to work, even though it 

 did not before exist. And the same spirit which 

 prompted him to seek what was already known, 

 would make him wish to know the unknown. And 

 I may say that I never met a case of thorough knowl- 

 edge in my own science, except in the case of well- 

 known investigators. I have met men who talked 

 well, and I have sometimes asked myself why they 

 did not do something ; but further knowledge of 

 their character has shown me the superficiality of 

 their knowledge. I am no longer a believer in men 

 who could do something if they would, or would do 

 something if they had a chance. They are impostors. 

 If the true spirit is there, it will show itself iu spite 

 of circumstances. 



As I remarked before, the investigator in pure 

 science is usually a professor. He must teach as 

 well as investigate. It is a question which has been 

 discussed in late years, as to whether these two func- 

 tions would betl^ be combined in the same individual, 

 or separated. It seems to be the opinion of most, that 

 a certain amount of teaching is conducive, rather 

 than otherwise, to the spirit of research. I myself 

 think that this is true, and I should myself not like 

 to give up my daily lecture. But one must not be 

 overburdened. I suppose that the true solution, in 

 many cases, would be found in the multiplication of 

 assistants, not only for the work of teaching but of 

 research. Some men are gifted with more ideas than 

 they can work out with their own hands, and the 

 woild is losing much by not supplying, them with 

 extra hands. Life is short: old age conies quickly, 

 and the amount one pair of hands can do is very 

 limited. What sort of shop would that be, or what 

 sort of factory, where one man had to do all the work 

 with his own hands ? It is a fact in nature, which no 

 democracy can change, that men are not equal, — that 

 some have brains, and some hands. And no idle 



