Leadership and the Royal Society

Abstract

You are constantly reproving scientists for neglect of their civic duties; our crime—for most of us will plead guilty—you seem to attribute to apathy. But the cure for apathy is usually leadership; and some of us think that your reproof would be more effective if it was directed to our natural leaders. Such, for example, is the view of “H. E. A.”, who, in NATURE of Dec. 26, calls on the Royal Society to take the lead. You do not support him, because you consider (NATURE, Jan. 9) that the Society is hampered by its official connexions. That may be so; but the question remains whether the Society was wise to allow its hands to be tied; your excuse does not exonerate it, unless advising the Government and administering its funds is the most important function of the Society, to which all others should be sacrificed.