342 STUDY OF NATURAL HISTORY. 



which must be asssumed as true, — namely, that the 

 greatness of a nation depends, not upon its phy- 

 sical, but on its intellectual power. From this axiom 

 it necessarily follows that science produces manu- 

 factories, — manufactories commerce, and commerce 

 wealth. Hence it is at once perceived how insepar- 

 ably science is interwoven in all that gives power 

 and dignity to a nation, or rather that it is the corner- 

 stone upon which all other forms of greatness 

 are built. The expediency, therefore, not to say 

 the necessity — that physical knowledge should be 

 nurtured and. protected by every government, re- 

 quires no discussion. It may, indeed, be urged by 

 those who are fully aware of the connections just 

 alluded to, that in a commercial country like this, 

 all sciences which can be brought to bear upon the 

 necessities, the conveniences, or the luxuries of life, 

 require no other aid or reward than that which 

 they are sure to meet with on their successful appli- 

 cation. The moment that an invention is found 

 really available for practical purposes, from that 

 moment its author may fairly calculate upon receiv- 

 ing his reward by the general adoption of his dis- 

 covery ; while, on the other hand, if there be no real 

 utility in the thing itself, the most powerful patron- 

 age will fail to establish it in public estimation. 

 There is, undoubtedly, much of truth in these 

 remarks, but a moment's reflection will convince us 

 that they are partial and superficial. We merely 

 notice them in this place, to apprise the reader that 

 they have not been overlooked, and that they will 

 form a point of separate discussion hereafter. 



(240.) The first question, — Is science less 



