CASES IN POINT. 361 



venture to anticipate support from the aristocracy, 

 or the wealthy of the land, by publishing a splendid 

 volume of zoological plates, which, for the beauty of 

 its execution should vie with those published at the 

 national expense of France, his case, even if he 

 succeed in getting royal patronage, is nearly the 

 same. Some few of the court, and still fewer of 

 the nobility, will give him encouragement ; but he 

 will be left not a gainer, but a severe sufferer, 

 for his misplaced confidence in the public taste.* 

 Such are the chief disadvantages attendant on 

 the cultivation of zoology in Britain, and which, 

 independent of the reasons before assigned, give to 

 this science, in particular, especial claims to national 

 encouragement. 



(249.) The consequences resulting from this state 

 of things are such as might naturally be expected ; 

 and they have been so feelingly described by the able 

 writer in the " Quarterly Review," that we prefer 

 quoting his own words. " Since our scientific men, 



This work terminated with the fourth number ; solely, as 

 then stated, from the want of support to defray its actual ex- 

 penses ! yet of these memoirs it may truly be said, that they 

 surpass in interest every thing that has appeared in this coun- 

 try since the publication of the Horce Entomologicce. The author 

 makes a direct appeal to the Zoological Society for support, — a 

 society of some 800 or 1000 members; yet, because 150 sub- 

 scribers could not be found in the whole kingdom, these most valu- 

 able essays, full of original information, have been discontinued ! 

 had the author compiled some trumpery little volume, fit only for 

 the penny press, the sale might probably have reached 5000 . 



* We here more especially allude to the beautiful folio col- 

 lection of figures of the Psittacidcc, or parrots, by Mr. Lear, a 

 young and most promising zoological draftsman. 



