July 6, 1906./ 



SCIENCE. 



15 



its causative elements, rather than on those 

 parts which relate to identification, classi- 

 fication and nomenclature. The pioneers 

 of science, like the pioneers in exploration 

 and colonization, must find their way 

 through pathless regions. It is only later 

 generations that build smooth roads and 

 railways for the transportation of inatten- 

 tive multitudes where the pioneer trod 

 alone and watchful. The investigator must 

 be watchful over minor details and for ap- 

 parently insignificant differences and simil- 

 itudes. He must know how to find his 

 clues in trifling circumstances and illusive 

 changes of condition. In these days of 

 germs and spores, when micro-organisms 

 have been proved to be infinitely important 

 in the economy of nature, the investigator, 

 and especially the biologist, will probably 

 have a peculiar conception of the great 

 and the small, or the gross and the minute. 

 The infinitely little may often seem to him 

 of highest importance, his scale of values 

 having no connection with spacial magni- 

 tude or gravity. On the other hand, the 

 investigator must be keen to discern rela- 

 tionships among facts — first among facts 

 easily classed as kindred, but then among 

 facts which to the common mind are un- 

 connected or disconnected. The intellec- 

 tual tastes of the true investigator will 

 usually include a liking for the elucidation 

 of mysteries, and a liking for new and 

 adventurous problems. These tastes are 

 manifested by men whose walks of life and 

 objects of interest are very different; but 

 they are not common tastes, any more than 

 the faculties needed in such inquiries are 

 common. The scientific investigator wins 

 pleasure or satisfaction where most men 

 and women would find only vexation and 

 futile effort. He finds fascinating what 

 most men and women would find repellent. 

 After a new discovery has been made, 

 another and quite different task awaits the 



successful investigator. He desires and 

 needs to procure the acceptance of his dis- 

 covery by the learned world, and in some 

 cases by the commercial world. This is a 

 process different from the process of dis- 

 covery, and yet kindred. It involves dem- 

 onstrations; but these demonstrations re- 

 quire a somewhat different sort of imag- 

 ining and contriving from that which led 

 to the discovery. The discovery was made 

 in private ; . the demonstrations must be 

 public. The discovery needed solitary re- 

 flection; to procure the acceptance of the 

 discovery needs a power of public exposi- 

 tion, accompanied by debate and even con- 

 troversy. The discovery required indom- 

 itable patience and energy in pursuing and 

 verifying in rapid succession the concep- 

 tions or fancies of genius; the demonstra- 

 tion requires skill in discussion, courage in 

 accepting public tests, and in taking re- 

 sponsibility for risking the property or 

 lives of others. 



The history of scientific research amply 

 illustrates the stimulating value of con- 

 troversy, and the contribution which free 

 discussion makes to real progress. Free- 

 dom of thought and speech promotes prog- 

 ress towards truth in science just as effect- 

 ively as it does the gradual attainment of 

 truth and justice in government, industries 

 and social structure. Time frequently 

 shows that both sides were measurably 

 right in honest scientific controversies, al- 

 though one side win a temporary or even 

 an ultimate victory. 



The conditions under which research is 

 necessarily performed deprive the investi- 

 gators of the stimulus which numbers of 

 students give to popular teachers. The 

 laboratories of research contain but few 

 students; and they are for the most part 

 silent and absorbed. Nevertheless, the 

 younger investigators have two great satis- 

 factions in their work: they follow leaders 



