THE PRACTICAL DIFFICULTIES OF ENDOWING RESEARCH.
[TO THE EDITOR OF THE "SPECTATOR,"]
Sidi,—In your remarks on a paper of mine in the current number of the Fortnightly Review, it is satisfactory to me to find that you regard the three following propositions as forming "a premiss quite beyond reasonable dispute " :— 1. That original research should not be left to the bare chance of supporting itself.
2. That men capable of extending knowledge should not be compelled to direct their energies- into other channels by the necessity of gaining a livelihood ; and 3. That new knowledge, which individuals won't pay for, should be paid for by the State.* This is the whole of my case, so far as the question of principle is concerned. But the question of the practicability of endowing research remains, which I had not treated in the article in question.
In respect of this, you concede thus much :—" We can safely endow," you say, " a few eminent men who have already proved their aptitude for original research."
The field of discussion is thus narrowed to manageable dimen- sions, and the point at issue between us reduced to the following :— Isit possible to open such a career for the student at the outset of life, or before he has become eminent, as shall compete financially with the so-called practical professions, with commerce, or with the public service, to one of which he is at present almost universally attracted ?
This question you appear to answer in the negative, for you ask (1), How can we find the right man ? and (2), How can we be sure, if we endow him, that " he won't turn out a number of fruitless and pedantic inquiries just for the sake of justifying bis position ?"
Now, most people meet these difficulties by saying, " Impose educational duties upon the young student or man of science, and pay him for these, because it can be ascertained whether he does them or not." And this opinion you apparently endorse.
Before giving my own answer to your two questions, I would ask leave to say somewhat of this current way of meeting the difficulties they suggest.
The imposition, then, of educational duties upon the recipient of endowment for research before he becomes eminent, and in expectation of his doing so, will not, as it appears to me, of itself enable one to find the right man to make researches, nor will it turn the wrong man into the right man, if the Board of election has chosen the wrong one. Your first question, therefore, is not touched by this expedient.
With regard to the second, I would say that there is no reason lying within my knowledge for assuming that young men who devote themselves to research are in a less degree men of honour than other young men of the same station and intelligence,—the clergy, for instance. Nor am I aware of anything in the pursuit of knowledge which tends to undermine the moral principle more than other pursuits do. My experience of young Englishmen who have received a liberal education is, that if they are paid for doing specific duties, whether they are overlooked or whether they are not, they are almost without exception scrupulously conscientious in the performance of those duties.t
Those who advocate the endowment of research through the endowment of education, on the other band, say in effect to the young scientific aspirant somewhat as follows :—" In grant- ing you this endowment, we feel bound to say at the outset that we have not the least confidence in your honour and integrity ; and we therefore mean to keep a sharp look-out upon your proceedings. We believe that you are quite capable of pocketing the money which we give you for a specific purpose, a We did not concede these principles practically. We did concede that they Were reasonable, if any satisfactory mode of carrying them out could be devised without serious danger of practical abuses.--En. Spectator.
t Our correspondent's criticism on our language is fair, but not on our meaning. We did not intend to suggest any dishonourable motive, but rather that confusion of judgment which is very apt to take useless inquiries for useful ones, when they are the easiest and lie straight before one.—ED. Spectator.
and entirely neglecting to carry out that purpose. At the best, we expect that you will make a transparent pretence• of carrying it out just for the sake of justifying your position_ In short, we are fully aware that you will throw dust in your own eyes, and will do your best to throw dust in ours. But we don't mean to let you. Now, mind, we give you this money to pay for research to be done by you, eo nomine ; but as we have no means of overlooking you, we think it best to assume that you won't do it, and in order that there may be no misunderstanding about the matter, we propose to give you in addition certain unpaid functions of an entirely- different character to perform, viz., education, which will occupy the larger portion of every day, and effectually prevent you from spending your energies upon research. You may not, under these circumstances, disc'over much ; but it is absolutely essential that the public mind should be satisfied that it gets something for the money which it devotes to the investigation of truth, and this something we will take, if you please, in the form of education."
This is the virtual position of those who regard the imposition, of educational functions as the only safeguard the public can have- in supporting men who have not yet won their spurs in the scien- tific field, during the years when they are winning them. But I am duly conscious that you have a right to expect a more par- ticular answer to your objections, something in the form of a practi- cable scheme which, with the minimum of change, shall embrace the- three following items,—(1) a sifting process, by which the right man to receive an endowment for research may be found ; (2) a stimulative process, whereby, when found, he may be encouraged to work ; and (3) a corrective process, whereby the mistakes of the former and the failure of the latter may be redressed. I hope to be allowed to give this answer in another letter.—I am, Sir, 8ict„.
C. E. Arcrxrox.
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