To encourage research is one of the functions of a university. Contemporary universities have encouraged research, not only in those cases where research is necessary, but on all sorts of entirely unprofitable subjects as well. Scientific research is probably never completely valueless. However silly and insignificant it may seem, however mechanical and unintelligent the labours of the researchers, there is always a chance that the results may be of value to the investigator of talent, who can use the facts collected for him by uninspired but industrious researchers as the basis of some fruitful generalization. But where research is not original, but consists in the mere rearrangement of existing materials, where its object is not scientific but literary or historical, then there is a risk of the whole business becoming merely futile. According to the author

The passage states: "However silly and insignificant it may seem, however mechanical and unintelligent the labours of the researchers, there is always a chance that the results may be of value to the investigator of talent..."

Let's analyze the options:

A) not many research results can be of value to an intelligent investigator This contradicts the passage, which suggests that even seemingly insignificant research has a chance of being valuable.

B) a research result is always valuable to an intelligent investigator The passage says "there is always a chance that the results may be of value," not that they are always valuable. "Always valuable" is too strong and absolute.

C) any research result can be of value to an intelligent investigator This aligns perfectly with the passage. "However silly and insignificant it may seem" implies "any research result," and "there is always a chance that the results may be of value" means it "can be of value." This option captures the possibility for all scientific research.

D) a research result must always be of some value to an intelligent investigator Similar to B, "must always be of some value" implies a certainty or obligation that is not supported by the phrase "there is always a chance."

Therefore, C is the correct answer as it accurately reflects the author's view that any scientific research, no matter how seemingly trivial, carries the potential to be valuable to a talented investigator.