1876.1 
Encouragement of Scientific Research . 
46 7 
IV. THE ENCOURAGEMENT OF SCIENTIFIC 
RESEARCH* 
S N opinion is rapidly gaining ground that the present 
scientific position of Britain is unsatisfactory, both 
as compared with that of certain foreign nations and 
with our own antecedents, and is consistent neither with the 
honour nor with the true interests of the Empire. To escape 
misunderstanding or misrepresentation we must endeavour 
to state the case, as it appears to us, with more precision. 
We do not deny that modern England can boast a series of 
names which, if equalled elsewhere, are surpassed nowhere. 
We believe that in scientific ideas we are on a level with the 
foremost nations of the world ; that in speculative philosophy 
we have re-conquered the foremost place, whilst in biology 
we have initiated a complete regeneration. We have the 
greater pleasure in pointing out these saving considerations 
since they prove that our shortcomings are due not to any 
natural deficiencies in the British and Irish mind, but to 
circumstances fortuitously or artificially created, and which 
may of course be artificially modified. What we complain 
of, then, relates not to the height of our scientific ideas , but 
to the quantity of our scientific work and the number of our 
earnest and qualified scientific workers. On this point there 
is scarcely room for discussion. Even the most pseudo- 
patriotic John Bull who accuses us of undervaluing our own 
country can scarcely deny the facfts which we have to bring 
forward. Let us look at our scientific literature ; it is ex- 
ceedingly rich in the mere number of books published ; but 
what an overwhelming proportion of them — as every re- 
viewer knows to his sorrow — are mere compilations, ele- 
mentary treatises, and the like, well-known matter brought 
forward again and again in a slightly modified form. How 
many of the original works, even, are original in little save 
absurdity, and consist in wild attempts to subvert the whole 
existing system of our knowledge and rebuild it as if by 
magic. Let us turn to the original papers announcing 
some discovery of greater or less moment, and appearing in 
the Transactions or Journals of learned societies, and in the 
various scientific periodicals. Here our comparative poverty 
is most striking. Let us take up, for instance, the “ Berichte ” 
* Essays on the Endowment of Research. By Various Writers. London : 
H. S. King and Co. 
2 R 2 
