CONTINENTAL PATRONAGE. 351 
to Vienna, with the assurance of protection; and, 
disgusted with British liberality, he left this country, 
and ended his daysin the enjoyment of a pension from 
the Austrian government. We are accustomed to 
look upon Russia as a half-civilised nation, where 
the arts and sciences are still in their infancy. If 
this be true (which every year renders more ques- 
tionable), what is the reason that “ so many dis- 
tinguished individuals of the Academy of Sciences 
of St. Petersburgh are maintained at the public ex- 
pense? and that the government has; on all occa- 
sions, exhibited the most generous indulgence to her 
philosophers and artists?” Nor can we hope that 
a comparison with the minor kingdoms and states of 
Europe will tell in our favour, or give an indirect 
sanction to the apathy and ingratitude of England. 
The court of Bavaria is now, as it was during the 
reign of the late king, the rendezvous of all men 
of science and of literature; for there they feel 
assured of being received with the honour due to 
their high attainments. And here, again, we need 
only refer to simple facts for a full justification of 
our sentiments. The possession of the A‘gean 
marbles, now in the Royal Museum at Munich, will 
for ever record the supineness of Great Britain, in 
having suffered herself to be outbid for these classi- 
cal treasures by the little kingdom of Bavaria. The 
offer was made to both: we declined it, and the 
Bavarian monarch accepted it. At the time when 
the scientific expedition to Brazil, above alluded to, 
was fitted out by the Austrian government, that of 
Bavaria immediately resolved on following the ex- 
ample, and the king appointed MM. Spix and 
