Observations on the Decline of Science in England. 5 



called Mr Herschel to become a candidate for the presidency 

 of that institution. Their opponents are the occupiers of of- 

 fices and chairs in the close burghs of our universities, who, 

 as we have already proved, have not contributed their proper 

 share to the scientific glory of their country, and who are thriv- 

 ing on the luxuries of pluralities and official emoluments. These 

 individuals have no sympathy for the condition and hardships 

 of their scientific brethren, who, to their ardour for science, 

 have sacrificed all the advantages of professional ambition, and 

 who, in the nightly bivouac of a campaign that never ends, are 

 exhausting their minds, their healths, and their limited means 

 in advancing the interests of their species, and contributing to 

 the intellectual glory of their country. The privileged philo- 

 sophers believe, that in place of science declining, England sur- 

 passes all nations in her scientific men and in her artists ; that 

 our philosophical institutions are nearly perfect, and that any 

 attempt to improve them would detract from the wisdom of our 

 ancestors, without adding to that of our posterity. 



In these views we recognize the arguments which have been 

 used against any — even the smallest and the slowest improve- 

 ments in our political institutions ; and it is curious to discover 

 that the same persons who are opposed to a constitutional re- 

 form in our representative system are in general equally hostile 

 to a reform in our scientific institutions. Sir Robert Peel has 

 on more than one occasion expressed a disbelief in the decline of 

 science in England, and denied that it has not been sufficiently 

 encouraged by the government. Such opinions are a defence of 

 his own conduct as the Home Secretary of England. In this 

 high situation, it was his duty to observe the downfal'of English 

 science, and to recommend measures for its recovery. Represent- 

 ing as he did a learned university,— deriving as he did, and as 

 he himself with much good taste declared,* all his importance in 

 society from the useful arts, — canvassing as he, or his friends 

 did for him, for the presidency of the Royal Society ; and en- 

 tering as he did the council of that body,— a peculiar obligation 

 was laid upon him to promote the scientific interests of Eng- 

 land, and to improve the vicious system of her patent laws. 

 The force of this obligation he could not but feel, and the very 

 • Speech at the meeting for erecting a monument to Mr Watt. 



