Scientific Reviews, 353* 



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" Caution and precision were the predominant features of the character of Wol- 

 laston, and those who are disposed to reduce the number of principles, would per- 

 haps justly trace the precision which adorned his philosophical, to the extreme 

 caution which pervaded his moral character. It may indeed be questioned whe- 

 ther the latter quality will not in all persons of great abilities prodtice the former. 



" Ambition constituted a far larger ingredient in the character of Davy, and 

 with the daring hand of genius he grasped even the remotest conclusions to which 

 a theory led him. He seemed to think. invention a more common attribute than 

 it really is, and hastened, as soon as he was in possession of a new fact or a new 

 principle, to communicate it to the world, doubtful perhaps lest he might be an- ■ 

 ticipated ; but, confident in his own powers, he was content to give to others 

 a chance of reaping some part of that harvest, the largest portion of which he 

 knew must still fall to his own share. 



" Dr. WoUaston, on the other hand, appreciated more truly the rarity of the 

 inventive faculty ; and, undeterred by the fear of being anticipated, when he had 

 contrived a new instrument, or detected a new principle, he brought all the infor- 

 mation that he could collect from others, or which arose from his own reflection, 

 to, bear upon it for years, before he delivered it to the world. 



" The most singular characteristic of WoUaston's mind was the plain and dis- " 

 tinct line which separated wliat he knew from what he did not know ; and this 

 again, arising from his precision, might be traced to caution." • • • • 



" In associating with WoUaston, you perceived that the predominant principle 

 was to avoid error ; in the society of Davy, you saw that it was the desire to see 

 and make known truth. WoUaston never could have been a poet ; Davy might 

 have been a great one." — p. 203 et seqq. 



.Such, in imperfect outline, is the work of Mr. Babbage, — a work 

 which even the prejudices of society cannot hinder from having its 

 effect. It may be sought to smother by silence the brand which 

 has burst into flame within the very walls of the incubus which 

 broods over the science of Britain, but the increasing expression of 

 public detestation will fan the torch intosuch a brilliant glow^ as shall, 

 we trust, serve to light us out of the region of darkness. In the 

 interim, let every father of children, on perusing this volume, re- 

 riect where the men who figure on its' page received their educa- 

 tion, and let him be cautious where he sends his sons till the change 

 come. He sees, in the " decline of science," what has sprung, in a 

 great measure, from the condition of the English universities, 

 which, tottering under the weight of years and the lumber of ex- 

 traneous learning, have been unable to keep pace with the rapid 

 progress of the old branches of knowledge, and, (until very lately, 

 and yet imperfectly,) to seize upon the new sciences as they have 

 flitted along. This may, however, be changed, though the corrupt 

 state of man's heart be unalterable. 



It is now several months since the work before us has been cir- 

 culated in this country, and no national vindication has been at- 

 tempted against the changes therein contained. Government has 

 not come forward to disclaim the imputations which are cast upon 

 her. Parliament has preserved an idiotic indifference, whilst the 

 finger of scorn is pointed at the mental impotency of her people. 

 VVe see England sitting tamely under the curse of inferiority, — we 

 see the victim hug his chain, — and we shudder to think of our coun- 

 try's degradation. 



