“It is well known that youth have a tendency to attack the major problems and begin their careers with a major piece of work. It is necessary to restrain such ambition, which might easily lead to discouraging failures, and make the beginner see the advantages of starting with the minor problems. He runs little risk [...]
“The diagnosis of a scientific calling is…difficult. One must use finer distinguishing signs to cull the genuine from the counterfeit.
“Ostwald has dealt with more or less the same problem in his admirable book, Great Men. He believes that especially gifted students may be recognized by the fact that they never appear satisfied with what ordinary [...]
“We could cite dozens of classic examples of modest beginnings…Enthusiasm and perseverance work miracles. It is the exception when an inexperienced investigator succeeds in launching his career with a memorable scientific achievement from a luxurious and well-appointed laboratory maintained by the state. From the point of view of actual success, it is not the instruments [...]