OBJECTIONS ANSWERED. 415 



from following up the subject; a duty, however, 

 which is imperatively imposed upon any one who 

 complains of the " decline of science." 



(285.) The speech last quoted contains three 

 assigned reasons for showing the impropriety of 

 conferring titles of honour upon scientific men : — 

 1. Because their highest dignity being the possession 

 of genius and talent, therefore, national honours were 

 unnecessary ; 2. Because, if such honours were con- 

 ferred " many would be seeking them;" and 3. Be- 

 cause scientific merit " should be its own reward." 



(286.) There are some questions so long set at 

 rest by the general voice of mankind, that to enter 

 elaborately into their defence, on ordinary occasions, 

 is not only superfluous, but may become nearly as 

 ridiculous as to fight with our own shadow. Yet if 

 these very opinions, long explored by the reflecting, 

 are taken up for some particular purpose, clothed 

 with eloquence, and delivered with grace, by an 

 accomplished orator, they are listened and assented 

 to by the assembly, who applaud that which, if 

 spoken by a common person, would immediately pro- 

 duce ridicule. Of this character is the opinion that 

 where great merit exists, no outward sign or symbol 

 — by which its possession is to be made known to 

 the world — is at all necessary. Or, if necessary in 

 one class of excellence, it is not so in another. An 

 ordinary person who would thus argue, must either 

 be very little acquainted with human nature — 

 with the general sense of mankind on this subject — 

 or he must imagine that the feelings of philosophers 

 are totally different from those of other men. He 

 must suppose that men of science are wholly exempt 



