350 Decline of Science in England. 



bring his invention into the market without disclosing the se- 

 cret of it. 



There are few inventions, however, of such a nature that 

 they can be sold without disclosing the principle of their con- 

 struction. Of these Dr Wollaston's Periscopic Spectacles was 

 one- He was in this case compelled to secure it by patent. 

 The patent was invaded by pirates, and he lost the just re- 

 ward of his labours. Now, in every other country in Europe, 

 this patent would have been protected, and though these 

 countries cannot boast of such extensive bazaars as London, 

 and could not have supplied so many purchasers for new spec- 

 tacles, yet it is easy to decide which of them would have 

 been the greatest patron of the inventor. As another proof 

 that science is well rewarded in England, our author mentions 

 the case of Sir W. Herschel, who, he says, " left a handsome, 

 " and what elsewhere would be considered a large fortune." 

 Does the author know that Sir W. HerschePs fortune was 

 that of the lady whom he married ? If he does, why does 

 he pervert truth, and if he does not, why does he write on a 

 subject which he does not understand ? In continuance of our 

 last quotation our author goes on to say, 



" I know such countries where the high-minded Wollaston 

 " might have been obliged to fawn and bow in the anteroom 

 " of some lawyer in office, where his discoveries would have been 

 " submitted to the examination and criticism of some official 

 " underling ; of having his writings and experiments appre- 

 " ciated by those who neither can conduct an experiment nor 

 " weigh the force of an argument; and after submitting to all 

 " these indignities — after having felt the full weight of thein- 

 " solence of office, he might have had the humiliation to see 

 " preferred to his just claims, the unceasing importunity, and 

 " the shameless effrontery of the impudent quack, and of the 

 " subservient sycophant. This, I will tell Mr Babbage, is the 

 " real state of scientific men in those countries, whose manner of 

 " managing scientific concerns he affects to rate so much above 

 " that of his own country, and nisi exempla essent odiosa, we 

 " might bring convincing proofs of the truth of our assertion, 

 " from the scientific history of almost every country in Europe." 

 True as we doubt not this picture has sometimes been on the 

 Continent, yet we will tell our author that it is, and has been 



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