I am no longer young. I have observed and reflected actively throughout my life, and your happiness has been the object of my labours. I have conceived a plan which I think may be of use to you. I shall present it to you.
Open a subscription at the tomb of Newton. Subscribe, all of you, without distinction, whatever sum you wish.
Let each subscriber nominate three mathematicians, three physicists, three chemists, three physiologists, three authors, three painters, three musicians.
Renew both the subscription and the nomination each year, giving everyone complete freedom to nominate the same persons again.
Divide the proceeds of the subscription between the three mathematicians, three physicists, etc., who receive the most votes.
Invite the President of the Royal Society of London to receive this year’s subscriptions.
In subsequent years entrust this honourable task to the donor of the largest subscription.
Instruct your nominees not to accept posts, honours, or money from any of you. Allow them complete freedom to employ their powers as they think fit.
Men of genius will then enjoy a reward worthy of themselves and of you. This reward alone can enable them to render all the services of which they are capable. It will become the ambition of the most energetic minds, diverting them from those activities which disturb your peace. Finally, by means of this measure, you will give leaders to those who work for the progress of your enlightenment. You will invest those leaders with enormous importance, and place at their disposal great financial power.
I have read this plan to a friend of mine who is a sensible man. I shall invite him to state in writing what he thinks of it, and shall let you know his opinion. It seems to me, my dear contemporaries, that this is the best way of making it easy for you to examine the idea.
Opinion of my Friend
You have invited me to give you my views on the plan you have presented. I shall do so with particular pleasure, since no attentive reader can fail to be struck by the purity of the author’s mind, because the intention is sublime, and because it deserves to be favourably received by all sensible and thoughtful beings. Finally, the author’s object is the happiness of humanity. He is working for it, and I admire him.
His ideas are both new and philanthropic. He is right to consider men of genius as the torches which illuminate humanity, the rulers as well as the ruled. And it is on the basis of a sound principle of justice that he urges humanity to act collectively to reward them. His plan is just as good in another respect: it is clear that by acting collectively to reward men of genius, humanity will divert them from their concern with the sectional interests of that group of men who by rewarding them paralyse a part of their power.
This plan creates the finest posts there have ever been, posts which will raise the man of genius to his true rank, that is to say, above all other men, even those with the greatest authority. The sight of these posts will stimulate genius. At last there will be prizes worthy of the love of glory, that passion which makes the hardships of study and deep thought tolerable, which provides the stamina needed to achieve fame in the sciences and the arts …
If I compare the elevated position in which humanity would place the man of genius with an academic chair, I see that the elect of humanity will find himself in a much more advantageous position than the academician. He will enjoy much greater independence, and will be able to develop his powers to the full without being hindered by any sectional interest. No false caution will be able to slow down the progress of his genius, or impede his work and happiness. He will be stimulated by the desire to retain his post. He will look anxiously at the work of his predecessors; he will want to surpass them, to abandon the beaten track and explore new ones. His enthusiasm will steadily increase until he attains his true goal, that of furthering the progress of the human mind.
Such will be the course followed by the genius when he is placed in a position of independence, whereas the academic mind will continue along quite a different path. It will always tend to maintain the views it has already established, regarding itself as the depository of truth. It would be attacking its own claim to infallibility if it changed its opinion. It will continue to cry heresy and remain intolerant rather than take a retrograde step for the sake of enlightenment and the happiness of humanity. With what fury the academies have persecuted men of genius who contested their opinions! Observe the progress of the academic mind: you will see how fierce and rampant it has been, how skilfully it has stifled debates which might have illuminated humanity whenever they threatened its own existence. This has been due to two causes: academicians are nominated for life, and they are dependent on the Government.
If you survey the history of the progress of the human mind, you will see that nearly all its great achievements have been due to isolated, often persecuted men. Invariably, those who have been made academicians have fallen asleep in their armchairs; and if they have written anything it has been with trepidation, only to produce fables of the truth. Only independence can foster the love of humanity and the desire for glory, the two forces which motivate the man of genius. Since the academician is a slave, is it surprising that he never produces anything? In spite of his slavery he thinks he is at the height of his glory. He is frightened to climb down, and this is precisely what prevents him from ascending.
If I look at the history of academies, I see that in England there has never been an academy, and only two societies have resembled academic institutions; whereas they have abounded in monarchies and even in states ruled by superstition and ignorance. But what country has produced more great men in every sphere than England? Where have more truths been discovered? Where have they been published more courageously or adopted more quickly? Where have useful discoveries been rewarded more generously? Love of corporal liberty and independence of thought have led this island to scorn and debar academies. As a citizen the Englishman recognises the dignity of his being. As a scientist he would be enraged if he had to prostitute himself in the service of men of power, and join a body which existed only under their protection …
I must admit, however, that the academies have been of some use. Their establishment, however imperfect, has been of some advantage to the sciences and the arts. I also recognise that some academicians have managed to preserve their vigour. But the academic method is too far behind current philosophical views to be preserved any longer. Now that the human mind has started to advance more boldly, it should be possible to abolish completely every kind of chain that restricts even the most learned academies. Humanity should not lose sight of the fact that it ought to reward collectively those torches which are so brilliant that they give light to the whole earth. It is the only way it can prevent them employing some of their power in the interests of a particular group who are prepared to reward them — a use of their power which not only has the disadvantage of restricting their views, but which also turns them into low adulators and dull pawns, which inspires them with a spirit of rivalry and unjustified suspicion of all other bodies which make useful discoveries, discoveries which are often abandoned immediately for fear of criticism and jealous persecution.
The plan strikes me as excellent from another point of view. What obstacles men of genius have had to surmount in the past! Invariably they are diverted from good ideas right at the start, because of work they have to do in order to survive. What experiments and travels necessary for the development of their ideas they have had to do without! How often they have been deprived of the collaborators they required in order to fully develop their work! How many good ideas have not been developed simply because they were not nurtured by help, encouragement, and rewards!
And if, in spite of all these difficulties, some men of genius have managed to become known and obtain a reward, that reward has never been adequate to cover the full cost of their work, to enable them to encourage young people with the necessary ability, and to provide for their needs when they have no money …
Any post or reward obtained by the man of genius invariably involves him in duties which distract him from his work, and, by confining him to one place, prevents him from travelling to see those things or those persons who might help him to make new discoveries. The inconstancy of the government which rewards him makes him worry about his future, and often obliges him to devote his attention simply to maintaining his post and securing his own position in it. And in spite of all foresight, often a war or some financial crisis results in the suppression of his fee or at least the suspension of its payment.
Finally, the man of genius, whose work requires absolute independence, is always to some extent dependent on the government which rewards him. He has to adopt its point of view, submit to the forms and usages it condones, and therefore relegate his own ideas to a secondary position instead of giving free rein to his imagination. He has to timidly contrive a way of bringing his ideas to light, showing himself in the end not so much as he really is, but as he is required to be. In short, he is made to pay dearly for his paltry reward.
As for the man of genius who agrees to accept the benevolence of one particular ruler, or of any other individual, his position is even more unfortunate because of the degradation to which he succumbs …
The plan contains one elementary idea which can serve as the basis of a general organisation. It thus presents humanity with a conception which will enable it to safely ascend one step on the ladder of abstraction.
How fortunate it is that the tomb of Newton, the seat of the assembly, should be in England, the country which has always been the refuge of men of genius and scientists persecuted in other countries; whose inhabitants have long been accustomed to opposing the Government’s crimes against the independence of individuals and the liberty of the press.
We cannot speak of Newton without observing that the Government rewarded him with the post of Master of the Mint. Henceforth this citizen of the world was merely an Englishman applying himself to his job. This radiant star was presented to the multitude as an opaque body employed to reflect the rays of royal light.
Let us stress the fact that all men of genius who are given governmental posts lose their reality and their respectability. For in order to fulfil their duties they neglect the work of importance to humanity. And if they cannot resist the call of genius they often neglect their duties.
One can only avoid this dual hazard, troublesome for humanity, for the rulers, and for men of genius, by placing the latter in the one position which will satisfy the interests of all. They must remain themselves, and humanity must fully recognise this truth: these men are destined to be its torches, and not to be sold to particular interests which debase them and divert them from their true role …
I approve of the annual election and the provision for re-election. It will enable men of superior genius to remain for life, and provide their closest rivals with the greatest incentive.
The method of election is such that it will be impossible for particular prejudices to become strong enough to dominate the general interest.
There, my friend, you have my immediate reactions to your letter. Now I want to ask you two questions: Will the plan be adopted?
If so, will it remedy humanity’s present troubles, troubles which prudence prevents me from mentioning?
