Page 207 - Lokmanya Tilak Samagra (khand 2)

6 SAMAGRA TILAK - 2 • THE ARCTIC HOME

published in the volume of his Last Essays. " The ever-increasing
division and sub-division," observes the learned Professor, " of
almost every branch of human knowledge into more special
branches of study make the specialist, whether he likes it or not,
more and more dependent on the judgment and the help of his
fellow-workers. A geologist in our day has often to deal with
questions that concern the minerologist, the chemist, the arch-
mologist, the philologist, nay, the astronomer, rather than the
geologist pur et simple, and, as life is too short for all this, noth-
ing is left to him but to appeal to his colleagues for counsel and
help. It is one of the great advantages of University life that any
one, who is in trouble about some question outside his own
domain, can at once get the very best information from his
colleagues, and many of the happiest views and brightest solu-
tions of complicated problems are due, as is well known, to this
free intercourse, this scientific :give·and-take in our academic
centres. " And again, " Unles~a student can appeal for help to
recognised authorities on all these subjects, he is apt to make
brilliant discoveries, which explode at the slightest touch of the
specialist, and, on the other hand, to pass by facts which have only
to be pointed out in order to disclose their significance and far-
reaching importance. People are hardly aware of the benefit which
every branch of science derives from the free and generous
exchange of ideas, particularly in out Universities, where every-
body may avail himself of the advise and help of his colleagues,
whether they warn him against yet impossible theories, or call
his attention to a book or an article, where the very point,
that interests him, has been fully worked out and settled once for
all. " Buf alas ! it is not given to us to move in an atmosphere
like this, and small wonder if Indian students are not found to go
beyond the stage of passing the examinations: There is not a
single institution in India, nor, despite the University Commission,
can we hope to have any before long, where one can get all up-
to-date information on any desired subject, so easily obtainable
at a seat oflearning ~the West; and in its absence the only course
open to a person investigating a particular subject, is, in the
words of the same learned scholar," to step boldly out of his own
domain, and take an independent surVey of the preserves of his
neighbours, even at. the risk of being called ' an interloper, an
ignoramus, a mere dilettante,' for, whatever accidents he may