396 STUDY OF NATURAL HISTORY. 



tute*, appointed and paid by the government, became, 

 in return, its scientific advisers. There is no esta- 

 blishment of this nature in Britain ; but if the Royal 

 Society was placed upon a better footing, many of 

 the advantages derived by the French government 

 from its Institute might reasonably be expected from 

 the oldest, if not the best as they are at present con- 

 structed, of our scientific societies. It cannot be 

 expected that the government, even if otherwise dis- 

 posed, will pay much deference to the opinion of any 

 scientific body, composed (for the most part) of 

 gentlemen possessing no other qualifications than 

 general respectability, with the power of paying fifty 

 pounds for admittance. Neither can it be expected 

 that institutions so constituted, should employ their 

 influence with the government, in " staying its de- 

 stroying arm, in calling into action its powers of 

 doing good, or in demanding its bounty for such dis- 

 tinguished men, who were especially placed under 

 their patronage." Unless, therefore, government 

 shall grant salaries to a certain number of its most 

 distinguished men of science, as is done in every 

 other country, no effectual improvement can take 

 place. The " voluntary system," suits the state as 

 little as the church. In return for this bounty, 

 the society would be, as it were, the scientific ad- 

 visers of the crown, they would superintend public 

 experiments, report upon all scientific measures 

 submitted to government, and, in short, perform 



* Sixty-three of the ordinary members of this noble institu- 

 tion receive each an annual pension from government of 1 500 

 francs, and the two secretaries 600 francs each. 



