Decline of Science in England. 339 



" the more recondite departments of material physics. Our 

 " continental neighbours, as well as the philosophers of Ger- 

 " many and the north of Europe, have been held up as ex- 

 " amples for our emulation, in this respect, which, it has been 

 " stated, we must for the present be content to follow at an 

 " humble distance. That these representations are found- 

 " ed in truth with respect to the particular branches of knoie- 

 " ledge in question, cannot be doubted; and that they should 

 " be true, every lover of science in Britain will regret, while 

 " he will feel himself called upon to use his most strenuous en- 

 " deavours to remove this blemish from our national honour." 

 These are the sentiments of a generous and unprejudiced 

 mind, which regards the sacred interests of truth as paramount 

 to all private feelings ; and we must request Mr Faraday, after 

 reading the above passage, to decide upon the respective merits 

 of those who repel all friendly admonitions and wholesome 

 truths as insults to their character, and of those who receive 

 them in simplicity of heart, and apply them to the great pur- 

 poses of personal and national improvement. 



Havinc thus vindicated Mr Babbage and his friends from 

 the unwarrantable imputation of having " attacked English 

 character," we shall proceed to examine the defence of English 

 science by a Foreigner. This amiable individual has perform- 

 ed with admirable tenderness, the united offices of apothecary 

 and sick-nurse to scientific England. When none of her own 

 faculty durst visit her in her decline, save the lew empirics 

 who have administered to her in thedark, our kind devotee, Under 

 a mask, is conducted by Mr Faraday to soothe and to rouse the 

 deserted patient. Elixirs, moral and physical, are ply ed with ex- 

 quisite address, — morphium and henbane combine their narcotic 

 virtues, and new emollients and stimulants are extracted from 

 • rery corner of the materia medica. Ft is alleged, says he, from 

 the very chair of Newton in the University of Cambridge, that 

 mathematics, once the staple commodity of England, has 

 greatly declined, and .Mr Ilcrschel has dared to say, that in 

 this science, " England has long given ovei a hopeless race." 

 How can this be, when Mi Ilirclnl and Air Babblge are 

 both lilted to run, ,n\(\ when I .a Place has praised Mr I \ oi \ . 



and M. Arago praised Dr Voung? " There is nol the slightest 

 reason For giving over the race as hopeles » hi I a tuch men 



