6 Observations on the Decline of Science in England. 



proofs which he has given of this feeling betray his unwillingness 

 to advance the interests of science. He recommended to his late 

 Majesty to give L. 100 per annum for two royal medals, which are 

 adjudged not to Englishmen alone, but to philosophers in every 

 part of Europe; and he advised his present Majesty to give L.300 

 per annum to Sir James South, a gentleman of great wealth, in 

 order, to use his own words, " that the country should bear 

 some portion of the enormous expence which Sir James had in- 

 curred in pursuing his researches !" and in order " to relieve 

 the country from the charge of perfect indifference to subjects 

 of a scientific nature T While the other governments of Europe 

 are building magnificent observatories, and purchasing the most 

 expensive instruments for promoting astronomy, a British mi- 

 nister recommends to his munificent Sovereign to pay some por- 

 tion of the enormous expences of a wealthy astronomer, and 

 never feels it his duty to propose any act of liberality to other 

 men who are involving themselves and their families in pecuni- 

 ary difficulties by the noble devotion of their entire minds to 

 the intellectual service of their country. But the British mi- 

 nister has another motive for this Irish act of liberality, namely, 

 the motive of self-defence against the charge of perfect indiffer- 

 ence to subjects of a scientific nature. Which of these motives 

 predominated and prompted the recommendation, we dare not 

 conjecture ; and, however others may think upon the subject, 

 we cheerfully admit that the grant to Sir James South relieves 

 the country from the charge of perfect indifference to science, 

 in the same manner as the miser would sustain his character for 

 charity, by passing by the poor man at his gate, and casting a 

 mite into the treasury of the rich. 



In thus totally neglecting the scientific interests of his country, 

 Sir Robert Peel has only followed the example of his predeces- 

 sors in office,* and we have given our observations an especial 

 reference to him, because his conduct is best known to our 

 readers, and because being the last occupier of the Secretary- 

 ship of the Home department, and living at a time when the 

 diffusion of knowledge had ceased to terrify weak minds, the 



* We beg to refer the reader to the Life of Dugald Stewart in this Jour- 

 nal, No. xx. p. 200, for an anecdote of Lord Liverpool, strikingly illustra- 

 tive of this opinion. 



