ON BABBAGE’S ANALYTICAL ENGINE. 699 
cially when the same individual is the author of both. Nevertheless 
_ wholly independent of any that were connected with the Difference 
Engine. These ideas are indeed in their own intrinsic nature inde- 
~ penn of the latter engine, and might equally have occurred had 
___ The second of the misapprehensions above alluded to, relates to the 
well-known suspension, during some years past, of all progress in the 
_ construction of the Difference Engine. Respecting the circumstances 
_we offer no opinion ; and in fact are not possessed of the data for doing 
so, had we the inclination. But we know that some persons suppose 
these obstacles (be they what they may) to have arisen im consequence 
was in progress. We have ourselves heard it even /amented that an 
idea should ever have occurred at all, which had turned out to be 
merely the means of arresting what was already in a course of success- 
This notion we can contradict in the most unqualified manner. The 
‘progress of the Difference Engine had long been suspended, before 
here were even the least crude glimmerings of any invention supe- 
_ ment, were in no way the original cause of that suspension ; although, 
_ where difficulties of some kind or other evidently already existed, it was 
_ not perhaps calculated to remove or lessen them that an invention should 
first was capable of, possesses powers so extended as to eclipse it 
altogether. 
_ We leave it for the decision of each individual (after he has possessed 
ine), to determine how far it ought to be matter of regret that such 
an accession has been made to the powers of human science, even if it 
as (which we greatly doubt) increased to a certain limited extent some 
valuable but lesser work. We leave it for each to satisfy himself as to 
the wisdom of desiring the obliteration (were that now possible) of all 
records of the more perfect invention, in order that the comparatively 
the ideas which led to the Analytical Engine occurred in a manner 
it never existed nor been even thought of at all. 
_ which have interfered with the actual completion of either invention, 
_ of the subsequent invention of the Analytical Engine while the former 
ful execution, without substituting the superior invention in its stead. 
rior to it. Such glimmerings, therefore, and their subsequent develop- 
have been meanwhile thought of, which, while including all that the 
himself of competent information as to the characteristics of each en- 
already existing difficulties that had arisen in the way of completing a 
i mited one might be finished. The Difference Engine would doubtless 
would certainly calculate all the tables that are more directly necessary 
for the physical purposes of life, such as nautical and other computations. 
ry-day and ordinary human interests. These persons being likely to 
s but little sympathy, or possibly acquaintance, with any branches 
ice which they do not find to be useful (according to their de- 
 finition of that word), may conceive that the undertaking of that en- 
| gine, now that the other one is already in progress, would be a barren 
and unproductive laying out of yet more money and labour; in fact, a 
_ work of supererogation. Even in the utilitarian aspect, however, we 
do not doubt that very valuable practical results would be developed 
by the extended faculties of the Analytical Engine ; some of which re- 
