CONTINENTAL PATRONAGE. 351 



to Vienna, with the assurance of protection ; and, 

 disgusted with British liberality, he left this country, 

 and ended his days in 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 iEgean 

 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 



