登陆注册
5163500000025

第25章

This pure love has, however, been much aided by the ambition to be esteemed by my fellow naturalists.From my early youth I have had the strongest desire to understand or explain whatever I observed,--that is, to group all facts under some general laws.These causes combined have given me the patience to reflect or ponder for any number of years over any unexplained problem.As far as I can judge, I am not apt to follow blindly the lead of other men.I have steadily endeavoured to keep my mind free so as to give up any hypothesis, however much beloved (and I cannot resist forming one on every subject), as soon as facts are shown to be opposed to it.Indeed, I have had no choice but to act in this manner, for with the exception of the Coral Reefs, I cannot remember a single first-formed hypothesis which had not after a time to be given up or greatly modified.This has naturally led me to distrust greatly deductive reasoning in the mixed sciences.On the other hand, I am not very sceptical,--a frame of mind which I believe to be injurious to the progress of science.A good deal of scepticism in a scientific man is advisable to avoid much loss of time, but I have met with not a few men, who, I feel sure, have often thus been deterred from experiment or observations, which would have proved directly or indirectly serviceable.

In illustration, I will give the oddest case which I have known.A gentleman (who, as I afterwards heard, is a good local botanist) wrote to me from the Eastern counties that the seed or beans of the common field- bean had this year everywhere grown on the wrong side of the pod.I wrote back, asking for further information, as I did not understand what was meant; but I did not receive any answer for a very long time.I then saw in two newspapers, one published in Kent and the other in Yorkshire, paragraphs stating that it was a most remarkable fact that "the beans this year had all grown on the wrong side." So I thought there must be some foundation for so general a statement.Accordingly, I went to my gardener, an old Kentish man, and asked him whether he had heard anything about it, and he answered, "Oh, no, sir, it must be a mistake, for the beans grow on the wrong side only on leap-year, and this is not leap- year." I then asked him how they grew in common years and how on leap-years, but soon found that he knew absolutely nothing of how they grew at any time, but he stuck to his belief.

After a time I heard from my first informant, who, with many apologies, said that he should not have written to me had he not heard the statement from several intelligent farmers; but that he had since spoken again to every one of them, and not one knew in the least what he had himself meant.So that here a belief--if indeed a statement with no definite idea attached to it can be called a belief--had spread over almost the whole of England without any vestige of evidence.

I have known in the course of my life only three intentionally falsified statements, and one of these may have been a hoax (and there have been several scientific hoaxes) which, however, took in an AmericanAgricultural Journal.It related to the formation in Holland of a new breed of oxen by the crossing of distinct species of Bos (some of which I happen to know are sterile together), and the author had the impudence to state that he had corresponded with me, and that I had been deeply impressed with the importance of his result.The article was sent to me by the editor of an English Agricultural Journal, asking for my opinion before republishing it.

A second case was an account of several varieties, raised by the author from several species of Primula, which had spontaneously yielded a full complement of seed, although the parent plants had been carefully protected from the access of insects.This account was published before I had discovered the meaning of heterostylism, and the whole statement must have been fraudulent, or there was neglect in excluding insects so gross as to be scarcely credible.

The third case was more curious: Mr.Huth published in his book on 'Consanguineous Marriage' some long extracts from a Belgian author, who stated that he had interbred rabbits in the closest manner for very many generations, without the least injurious effects.The account was published in a most respectable Journal, that of the Royal Society of Belgium; but I could not avoid feeling doubts--I hardly know why, except that there were no accidents of any kind, and my experience in breeding animals made me think this very improbable.

So with much hesitation I wrote to Professor Van Beneden, asking him whether the author was a trustworthy man.I soon heard in answer that the Society had been greatly shocked by discovering that the whole account was a fraud.(The falseness of the published statements on which Mr.Huth relied has been pointed out by himself in a slip inserted in all the copies of his book which then remained unsold.) The writer had been publicly challenged in the Journal to say where he had resided and kept his large stock of rabbits while carrying on his experiments, which must have consumed several years, and no answer could be extracted from him.

My habits are methodical, and this has been of not a little use for my particular line of work.Lastly, I have had ample leisure from not havingto earn my own bread.Even ill-health, though it has annihilated several years of my life, has saved me from the distractions of society and amusement.

Therefore my success as a man of science, whatever this may have amounted to, has been determined, as far as I can judge, by complex and diversified mental qualities and conditions.Of these, the most important have been--the love of science-- unbounded patience in long reflecting over any subject--industry in observing and collecting facts--and a fair share of invention as well as of common sense.With such moderate abilities as I possess, it is truly surprising that I should have influenced to a considerable extent the belief of scientific men on some important points.

同类推荐
  • 浔阳秋怀,赠许明府

    浔阳秋怀,赠许明府

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 八识规矩纂释

    八识规矩纂释

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 唯识论(一名破色心论)

    唯识论(一名破色心论)

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 灵飞散传信录

    灵飞散传信录

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 药师三昧行法

    药师三昧行法

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
热门推荐
  • 王爷腹黑:夫人请接招

    王爷腹黑:夫人请接招

    她是现代的医学天才,穿越成为暮云国丞相家不受宠的嫡女,筋脉细小不能习武?侮辱本小姐?那就揍的你满地开花!看着一步步走向自己的妖孽男,霸气十足的吼道“跪搓衣板去!”“夫人,为夫犯了何错?”某妖孽男真诚的问道。“犯了七出中的妒!你说该不该跪?”挑眉问道。“该,为夫这就去跪。”某妖孽男一脸坦然的回答道。【情节虚构,请勿模仿】
  • 爱月庐医案

    爱月庐医案

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 橐钥子

    橐钥子

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 印第安王妃

    印第安王妃

    一个中国女孩跨越到十八世纪北美印第安大平原的传奇经历……纯朴的生活环境、英俊的情人、凶残的敌手、纠结的历史背景、她自己身上神奇的变化……对北美印第安世界感兴趣的童鞋可以尽情阅读,不感兴趣的可以通过此小说领略美景、美色,培养兴趣~~本小说是架空历史,作者天马行空无限发挥想象力,拜托历史研究爱好者莫要对文中某些描写发出质疑。
  • 华严法相槃节

    华严法相槃节

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 太空奇观百科(奥秘世界百科)

    太空奇观百科(奥秘世界百科)

    宇宙天地和自然世界真是丰富多彩、纷繁庞杂,使我们对于那许许多多的难解之谜,不得不密切关注和发出疑问。人们总是不断地去认识它,勇敢地去探索它。虽然今天科学技术日新月异,达到了很高程度,但对于许多奥秘还是难以圆满解答。人们都希望发现天机,破解奥秘。古今中外许许多多的科学先驱不断奋斗,一个个奥秘不断解开,推进了科学技术的大发展,但又发现了许多新的奥秘现象,又不得不向新的问题发起挑战。正如达尔文所说:“我们认识自然界的固有规律越多,这种奇妙对于我们就更加不可思议。”科学技术不断发展,人类探索永无止境,解决旧问题,探索新领域,这就是人类一步一步发展的足迹。
  • 养生胜于治病

    养生胜于治病

    疾病来袭是养还是治?只要你顺应自然规律;上养神智,中养形态,下养四肢筋骨;保持一种平和自然的心态与健康的生活习惯;多听听民间老理儿中的养生经,就能有所收获。本书还提供了一些常见疾病的自我检测与防治,具有很强的实用性。
  • 百岁所思

    百岁所思

    《百岁所思》囊括了周老文化散文短篇的精华,具有较高的文化、思想价值。112岁的智慧老人,跨越世纪的精彩人生。以百年沧桑的亲历、中西贯通的识见,使我们眼前打开了一扇清楚地看历史、看人生、看世界的窗,整个人生也变得通透豁达起来。
  • 无妄轮回志

    无妄轮回志

    车祸后醒来,李鹤发现自己到了一个奇怪的大厅。在这里可以进入各种任务世界里赚取积分。获得积分后又能换成现金返回现实潇洒。于是李鹤开始了不一样的人生:在暗黑平原里获得无限法力的魔法书;在无主之地里研究出法力充能获取大量积分;在英雄城堡前升级了魔法书获得万物进阶的能力;在丧尸狂潮里用聚能镭射枪和粒子功能炮打“号称”头不爆就不死的丧尸;在古代战争里用简易遥控微型运载导弹和小范围毁灭高浓缩热压弹头打“号称”过万不可敌的骑射手。在现实世界里空手接子弹。……用科技碾压武力,又用武力碾压科技。究竟是科技说了算还是武力说了算?李鹤:我说了算。----------书友1群:********(爆满)书友2群:*********(爆爆满)书友3群:**********(爆爆爆满)书友999群:732124243(大量空位)【看简介就知道这是老水哔了】
  • 湾区之王

    湾区之王

    “中国人,在橄榄球的圈子里绝对不可能取得成功!”“你柔弱得就好像小鹿斑比,根本无法形成对抗!”“你有头脑、有智慧,但缺乏天赋。”陆恪:但,我有系统。手持系统,我要站上巅峰舞台,建立属于我的王朝!书友群号:680508338