Decline of Science in England. oil 



We think we may leave this point to Mr Faraday's own deci- 

 sion ; and though we do not entirely agree with the low 

 opinion of our mathematical character expressed by Mr Ren- 

 nie, Professor of Natural History in King's College, Lon- 

 don, in his Introduction to Montague's Ornithological Dic- 

 tionary, yet we know, that such opinions are very generally 

 maintained by unprejudiced, though possibly not very well 

 informed, individuals. " The consequence of this leading- 

 " string system, 11 says Prof. Rennie, " is, that it has nearly 

 " extinguished the mathematical reputation of Britain, for- 

 " merly so high ; it being as impossible to make a Newton by 

 " parroting the Principia, as to make a Milton by commit- 

 " ting to memory his Paradise Lost.'''' 



Another singular argument of our anonymous opponent 

 deserves the special notice of the logician, and all dealers in 

 syllogism. 



" The names, 11 says he, " of Sir Humphry Davy and of 

 " Mr Herschel are, of course, of the highest authority ; but 

 " it would appear rather strange, that any one should attempt 

 " to couple those names with a complaint of a decay of science. 

 " This sounds pretty much as if, when speaking of Welling- 

 " ton and Nelson, one would argue on the inferiority of the 

 " British navy and army. The mere mentioning of the names 

 " of Davy and Herschel, could furnish a proof that science 

 " was flourishing in that country which gave birth to these 

 " highly gifted individuals. 11 



When this syllogism is arranged, quoad artem, it thus 

 stands. Sir H. Davy and Mr Herschel declare, that science 

 is declining in England ; and they are persons of the highest 

 authority ; but they were both born in England, therefore 

 science must be flourishing in place of declining!! Now for 

 the illustration of the syllogism. The British army and navy 

 never can be inferior lo those of other nations while we can 

 speak of Wellington and Nelson ; therefore science never 

 can decline in England while we can speak of Davy and Her- 

 schel. Upon these principles, we are led lo the cheering eon- 

 elusion, far more delightful than that of the author, that 

 science and the arma and nuv/j nevt r "in decline m England, 

 because Davy and Herschel wire horn within its limits, and 

 because we can always speak of Wellington anil Nelson. This 



