Arizona republican., 1901-12-24
ABILITY TO DO ONE THING.

James Crichton. famous as the ad-
mirable Crichton, was Scotch
scholar and adventurer who was born
| in the year 1860 and who. during his
brief life of twenty three years. mas
tered twelve languages; wrote Latin
odes and verses that were celebrated
in an age when the learned knew Lat
in very well: COMPOUNDED the doctors OF
the University of Padua in pubic
disputation of four days duration. on
mathematics and Aristotle, the two
subjects which formed the bulk OF
the scholastic learning OF the middle
ages. and killed a far-famed swords
man in duel at Nantua. Crichton
was mortally wounded in Il midnight
street attack by one of his pupils.
said to be the Duke of Mantua. to
whom. on recognizing him. Crichtcn
had handed him his sword, hit fore
most.
There was a time when men Ike Ba-
con selected all knowledge for their
theme. or. like C-ichton. all accom-
plishments for their study. but the age
of universal disSuises IS long past.
Differentiation. specialization and
concentration are the characteristics
of this age in science. mechanical
crafts, commerce. the professions and
every other occupation. Whas Huxley
y
department of knowledge and activ-
ity: The days of Admirable Ciichhton
have long been over and the most in
defatigahle OF hard workers may think
he has done well K he has mastered
one of its minor subdivisions" The
very work OF Huxley and Spencer.
that of cOllating the learning of all
the sciences. generalizinS from the
generalization Of each particular sci
ence, and demonstrating the mutual
relations of the several sciences and
the universally of physical laws has
become 4 speciality by itself precludinS
to the generalizer original work IN
any division of science.
y century ago medical practitioner
undertook any sort of a case Nova
days the general practitioners work Is
TO make a first diagnosis. ascertaining
whether the trouble is in the head or
the toes. and call in n specialist. Spe-
cialists arc subdividing their special
ties. and II the tendency continues.
there win be n specialist for every or
gan, every bore. every nerve and every
aiIment of the human body. Long ago
a machinist had . general acquaint-
ance with all machinery. Now there
are machinists FOR every different sort
of machine. In the large iron shops
the work is infinitely suOdivided. In
an ordinary pistol. made in any of the
great arms manufacture. the work
of dozens of operators is represented.
ore mans specially is polishing.
another fitting parts together. another
putting the edge on the tip of the ham
mer. Thus extraordinary efficiency is
obtained. Similar Illustrations can lie
drawn from every art and craft.
| The tendency towards specialization
| resulted from the discovery that X is
better TO know or do one thing exceed
ingiy well than many things or several
things eXceIlently well. If the Ad-
mirable Crichton were to challenge the
faculty of = modern university he
would be iioored in no time b. that ar
ray of specialists. each OF whom would
be his master in one branch OF learn
| ing.
General culture is a useful founda-
ton for special knowledge. but the in
teasity of competition in modern times
demands that every man acquire the
highest possible proficiency in one re
| stricted field of ACTIVITY. Success
awaits the man that can do one thing
better than any ore else can do it.
Every man must know one thing as
well as it can be known, for only the
httest survive.-San Francisco Bulie-
tin.