XII 



THE HISTORY OF SCIENCE A SEARCH 

 FOR GOD^ 



By John Langdon-Davies 



THAT science is poetry is carefully concealed 

 from the knowledge of most people by the 

 text-books out of which science is taught in 

 schools and colleges. 



Moreover, the picture of the scientific research 

 worker, which has been insinuated into the public 

 mind, is largely responsible for the idea that science 

 is poles removed from art and literature. Whereas 

 art, literature and music are the elements of culture, 

 science and the scientist are thought of as things apart. 

 The people who are ashamed of being found not to 

 have read the latest poem, seen the latest play and 

 heard the latest violinist are not in the least ashamed 

 of knowing no scientist since Darwin. These same 

 people usually suppose the scientist to be devoid of 

 human feelings; even if he does not actually leave his 

 wife, he scarcely notices her existence; he never has 

 a love affair; he never listens to music, nor notices 

 that trees in autumn are beautiful; at least not if 

 he is a really good scientist; then he is cold, mechanical 

 and altogether inhuman. 



And yet the truth is that the urge which makes a 



1 Taken from Man and His Universe, John Langdon-Davies. By 

 permission of the author and the publishers, Harper and Brothers. 



205 



