3S0 Scientific Reviews. 



" The causes which have produced, and some of the effects which have resulted 

 from, the present state of science in England, are so mixed, that it is difficult to 

 distinguish accurately between them. I shall, therefore, in this volume, not at- 

 tempt any minute discrimination, hut rather present the result of my reflections 

 on the concomitant circumstances which have attended the decay, and at the con- 

 clusion of it, shall examine some of the suggestions which have been offered for 

 the advancement of British science." P. 2. 



The emanation of such a work from an English university indu- 

 bitably marks the progress of a new era in the history of this country's 

 mind. And the characteristic feature of this age appears to be an un- 

 flinching determination amongst the people to battle with error, and 

 to work out an emancipation from the thraldom of old established and 

 injurious customs, which have long maintained their existence un- 

 der the succour of a careless sufferance. Liberalism of opinion, 

 compensating, in some measure, for the evil influence which it 

 must always exercise over a state, when it riots with religious 

 creeds, has done a service to man, if it be only by exposing to his 

 view the old leaven of corruption, and by exhibiting undisguised 

 the real enemy to his good. And man has taken advantage of his 

 newly acquired knowledge. The political steps which our govern- 

 ment has recently been " compelled" to take, — the toleration which 

 is gradually extending to almost all opinions, — the revolutions which 

 have taken place in several of our institutions, — all assert the fact, 

 that error, to be vanquished, " needs but to be seen." Civil dis- 

 cord is, moreover, now in the enemy's strong-holds. Bigotry is at 

 war with his ancient ally ; and religion, in all the loveliness of pure 

 intentions, has courted science to her aid, and joined herself to the 

 cause of truth. 



In the brief notice to which we must now restrict ourselves, we 

 shall not be able to give more than a partial analysis of the work, 

 which leads us to these considerations ; but we shall return to the 

 subject on a future occasion. 



In the first place, however, it may be well to inquire what degree 

 of credit a volume with such a title-page deserves ; for we are well 

 enough aware that mere captious and petulant individuals may at 

 any time be found to abuse " men and things in the CapitaL" 



The matter stands thus : a Professor of Mathematics in the Uni- 

 versity of Cambridge, has published, with his name, a work pro- 

 fessing to depict the " decline of science in England," and to in- 

 dicate " some of its causes." And he therein exposes such a tissue 

 of ill doings connected with institutions and individuals whom we 

 have been accustomed to respect, as must afllict every man who 

 bears a spark of patriotism in his breast. That the statements 

 contained in this volume are not unfounded, we might assume from 

 the responsibility of the author's situation, and that they are enti- 

 tled to investigation, we argue from his rank. And it further ap- 

 pears to us to be a great evidence of the truth of his allegations, 

 that the accused do not attempt to repel the charges which he has 



