HONORARY TITLES. 407 
hail with pleasure every addition made to our stock 
of knowledge by the press of America, while, by 
admitting their publications free of duty, we should 
doubtless receive the same indulgence: and the 
costly works of British naturalists, with a small re- 
duction of their original price, and disburthened of 
duties on their arrival, might then find purchasers in 
large districts of America, where at present they 
are only known by name. 
(276.) 5. The last subject connected with our pre- 
sent enquiry possesses much interest in itself, and 
still more from its recent discussion in the House of 
Commons. It is on the propriety or impropriety of 
conferring honorary titles or distinctions upon those 
of our philosophers who have benefited their country 
by their discoveries or inventions. 
(277.) That distinguished merit, of whatsoever 
description, should receive reward, either pecuniary 
or honorary, proportionate to its nature and degree, 
no one will deny; and that great intellectual ac- 
quirements are far superior to qualities derived 
from the exercise of animal faculties, is also an un- 
deniable truth ; proved, if proof were necessary, by 
the rarity of the one and the frequency of the 
other. But the bulk of mankind are but little 
influenced by abstract truth. They will assent to 
its doctrines from their incapacity of denying them ; 
but they will seldom carry this assent into practice. 
They will be content to admit the general principle; 
but, if it is to be applied to particular cases, they 
shelter themselves under the common excuse, that 
custom, or fashion, or national feeling, is against 
the measure ; they look for precedents; they cannot 
DD 4 
