418 STUDY OF NATURAL HISTORY. 
supposed to despise the decorations of a riband, or 
the homage of a political party. 
(287.) But then it is urged, if philosophers 
were to be rewarded by titular distinctions, “ many 
would be seeking them.” No doubt, many aspirants 
would be found for these, as there are for all other 
honours, whose qualifications were trifling. But in 
what manner this evil is to be peculiar to the 
class of society under consideration has not been 
explained. As national honours, of whatsoever 
description they may be, are highly and deservedly 
prized; so, as a matter of course, will they be 
sought for and coveted. When a vacancy occurs for 
the decoration of a blue riband, are there not many 
who seek to fill it? Those who are in power can 
best answer this question ; but every one acquainted 
with human nature, knows by induction that there 
must be a host of aspirants, where honours are to 
be gained; while to suppose such rewards were 
not of sufficient value to excite competition, and 
induce “ many to seek them,” is at once to proclaim 
their unfitness for exciting that emulation which is 
one of their legitimate uses. But supposing, for a 
moment, that England, like all other civilised Eu- 
ropean nations, had her own order of merit, by 
whatsoever title it were called, and solely restricted 
to her philosophers. Can it be imagined, for a 
moment, that there would be a tenth part as many 
aspirants to its honours, as there are now to the 
titles belonging to the existing orders? Un. 
questionably not, and for this simple reason: hun- 
dreds, we might almost say thousands, in a country 
like this, from the possession of wealth, rank, or 
