106 THE POPULAR SCIENCE MONTHLY 



greatly if he guarded himself against a too great absorption and isola- 

 tion in his investigation of a limited field of study, by giving conscious 

 attention to the presentation of his results in the best possible form for 

 their full appreciation by so many of the rest of the world as may be 

 interested in them; for he would be thereby placed in a more sympa- 

 thetic relation with at least some of the rest of humanity, from whom 

 he might otherwise remain too long estranged. Success in this effort 

 is greatly promoted if the student recognizes the essential differences 

 between investigation, which tends to isolate him from the world, and 

 presentation, which ought to bring him into relation with it. The 

 chief of these differences may be here pointed out, with particular re- 

 lation to geographical problems. 



Investigation. — During the progress of an investigation the stu- 

 dent is properly enough alone with his subject for a large part of his 

 time, whether he is in the field, the laboratory or the library. This is 

 quite as it should be, for if during this period his attention is much 

 distracted by outside matters, he can not develop a single-minded con- 

 centration of his best efforts on his work; he can not form that close 

 intimacy with his problem which comes from uninterrupted associa- 

 tion with it. Several weeks or months may be devoted to reaching his 

 conclusions, and during this period the student may rightly enough 

 find himself increasingly absorbed in his work and correspondingly 

 withdrawn from outside relations; but he must remember that isola- 

 tion does not involve secrecy. The pleasure of progress and discovery 

 is increased by sharing it with appropriate companions. If some ideas 

 are thus planted in better soil than that from which they sprang, let 

 the larger growth that they reach there cause rejoicing, not envy; for 

 as Gilbert has so well said in an admirable essay on " Scientific 

 Method " : " It is only the man of small caliber who has no ideas to 

 spare, and secretiveness in matters of science is ordinarily a confession 

 of weakness." 1 



In the course of progress, facts and theories are come upon in an 

 irregular and unforeseen order; only towards the close of his work is 

 the student in a position to reconsider everything that he has learned 

 and to give it all a well-ordered arrangement. During his advance he 

 must ever be alert in discovering new facts, open-minded towards new 

 ideas, critical of every statement, jealously watchful of his mental in- 

 dependence, judicial in reaching conclusions : but in all these activi- 

 ties, his work should be carried on for the most part alone, for only 

 when isolated is he sufficiently thrown on his own resources; and only 

 when thus depending on himself can he learn whether he is really able 

 to carry on an independent investigation. His opinions may fre- 



1 G. K. Gilbert, " The Inculcation of Scientific Method by Example," Amer. 

 Journ. 8ci., XXXI., 1886, 284-299. 



