353 Scientific Reviews. 



It might be more reasonable to question the capability of an in- 

 dividual for the execution of such a task as the author has imposed 

 upon himself. But in this ease we hold Mr. Babbage to be equally 

 secure. Every one who is acquainted with his writings will 

 place implicit reliance upon his testimony ; but for the assurance of 

 those who may not be conversant with his labours, we cannot do 

 better than quote the words of the Quarterly Review. 



*' Mr. Babbage ranks among the first mathematicians of the age; 

 and he is not merely an abstract calculator, spending his time in 

 solving problems of transcendental geometry, constructing algebraic 

 formula;, or raising infinite series to the w^^* power, but a man of 

 general science, of varied talent ; and one who, to his other ac- 

 quirements, adds that of being a good practical mechanist. We 

 need no further proof of this last point, than the machine which he 

 has actually constructed for the computation of Ic^arithmic and 

 other tables, and which alone would entitle him to rank with such 

 men as Herschel and Brunel."-^(Vol. XXXV. p. 2.) 



As to his strictures on the Royal Society, which occupy more 

 than half of his book, in 1827 he had already been two years 

 in the Council, and has probably been a member of it since ; and 

 hence was amply qualified to understand how that Institution was 

 regulated. And, moreover, " living," as he states, " in terms of 

 intercourse with almost all, and of intimacy with several of those 

 from whom he most widely differs," he was in every respect placed 

 in a situation to be acquainted with, if not to judge accurately of, 

 the facts which he relates. 



We shall not now enter upon a discussion of the causes of the 

 decline of science in England, though we diifer materially from Mr. 

 Babbage on this subject. We shall only observe, that we are im- 

 pressed with the idea that, sitting comfortably at the root of evil, 

 and shaded by the luxuriant groves of " his own" Academe, and 

 moreover, led, when in the world, into personal contact with the 

 secondary eflPects of a disease which lies deeper in the system, he 

 is unable to detect the true seat of the malady which he observes, 

 and laments, and desires to remedy ; nevertheless, the symptoms 

 which he has discovered must, no doubt, have a reciprocal influence 

 on the deep-seated evils, but they can only be removed by eradi^ 

 eating the corruption which rankles within. It is our opinion that 

 if a man be not educated to science he can never adorn a scientific 

 society, and herein would lie the fundamental error ; but we agree 

 with the author, that whilst government does not encourage and re- 

 ward the devotion of individuals to the profession of the abstract 

 sciences, few will be led to sacrifice themselves to such a hopeless 

 pursuit. The developement of our views must hoM'ever be delayed 

 to a future opportunity. We now attend to Mr. Babbage's book ; 

 and, for the sake of brevity, we shall let the author principally 

 speak for himself. 



Mr. Babbage first adverts very briefly to the system of educOf 



