A Talk about Research

Extract

When your Secretary asked me some months ago if I would talk to you about research I made some enquiries and was told that many of you would like to undertake some kind of research work but found it hard to think of suitable subjects. Even if you had subjects, how were you to set to work and what were the possible pitfalls? I am doubtful if I can be of much help to you, and in one sense each man who wants to do any original work must do it in his own way and must find his own subject. The ideal subjects are those of which no one else has ever thought. There is an infinite number of them, and they have been “waiting on the tedious shores of Lethe millions of ages” for “existence and a name” till you bring them to life. To any one of you who may find and solve such a problem “I am not worthy” to speak for he has that touch of inspiration that we poor mortals call genius, being perhaps fearful of using the word “divinity,” but even such an one may like to try his prentice hand before he embarks on his great adventure.