664 Notes of I /ic Month 071 [Dec 



It is actually said that, " thoiifrh economy was the ' order of the day' at 

 this election, on both sides, it is imagined that the friends of the candi- 

 dates have incurred expenses to the amount of only 5,000/. ! It was 

 very generally remarked, that nearly all the flags and banners borne by 

 Lord Sandon's party were tlie same which were used by i\Ir. Denison's 

 friends in the memorable ' November election,' last year. We are 

 informed that his lordship hired the whole set for the moderate sum 

 of 100/. They would have been sold ' out and out' for 300/. The 

 original cost of them was between 800/. and 1,000/." 



A Liverpool election, and cost only five thousand pounds ! What is 

 become of public spirit in that town of orators ! 



" In all our wanderings through this Avorld of care," we have longed 

 for the era when we might travel in a perfect steam-coach, fearless of 

 being boiled alive, blown up, or crushed into the dust of our own 

 chariot wheels. But the experiment lingers deplorably. The railway 

 is, we acknowledge, incomparable. It has attained power, speed, 

 steadiness and safety, to a degree that conjecture could scarcely 

 have ventured to dream, or science to contemplate. But the steam- 

 carriage, to be of the universal use which seems to belong to the capa- 

 cities of steam, must not be the railway carriage, but be able to take 

 any road, rough or smooth, hill or valley, moist or dry, alike. We are 

 sorry to see it stated that Gurney's steam-carriage has been given up, 

 however temporary the failure may be. This steam-carriage has ceased 

 to run between Cheltenham and Gloucester. The stoppage is attributed 

 to the road having been newly IMacadamized, and to the difficulty of 

 overcoming the additional obstruction thus occasioned. This reason is 

 not sufficient ; and the true reason is pi'obably to be found in the heavy 

 expense of the undertaking altogether. Of Mr. Gurney Ave know 

 nothing, further than as a most enterprising and dexterous artist, who 

 has applied his ability to the most important use of the finest inven- 

 tion ever placed in the power of man. But why should not the prose- 

 cution of such experiments form a part of the public interests ? Why 

 should a man of acknowledged ability be abandoned to the perpetual 

 struggle of narrow means, Avhen the result of that struggle will pro- 

 bably be, that the man of genius Avill be overwhelmed, and in his loss 

 tlie discovery will be lost ? We, of course, say this less with reference 

 to the present topic, than others — for the principles of the steam-carriage 

 are now too much in the public possession, to be lost ; but it has pro- 

 bably been the case in a thousand instances of the most important use 

 to mankind. The whole history of science is full of instances of power- 

 ful minds, approaching to the veiy verge of discoveries, from which 

 they were repelled merely by want of the leisure, and the pecuniary 

 resources, essential to the full activity of invention. Or if government 

 can do nothing in these things, where is our Royal Society ? Why does 

 if not offer premiums and encouragements for the progress of an inven- 

 tion of such immeasurable value ? 



The public are sometimes at a loss to answer the question,' what is 

 the use of the Royal Society ? and the answer is not altogether satis- 

 factory, which describes it as an assemblage of gentlemen, who meet 

 once a week to hear some papers read, of Avhich not one in fifty of the 

 members has the slightest comprehension at the time, nor ever will 



