351 Decline (yf Science in England. 



of Edinburgh, — with this difference, that it has on several occa- 

 sions, though not on so many as it ought, devoted its funds to 

 promote important scientific objects. We can assure our anony- 

 mous flatterer, that there is not one of the 685 members whom 

 he mentions who really conceives that he is an encourager or 

 benefactor of science. 



With respect to the comparative honour of being a Fellow 

 of the Royal Society, and a Member of the Institute, we can 

 scarcely believe that the author is serious. Every person must 

 feel that it is an advantage to be a member of the Royal Socie- 

 ty, but none that it is an honour. The indiscriminate admis- 

 sion of every applicant of respectable character who enjoys title, 

 possesses wealth, or fills office, and the strange but undeniable 

 fact that no persons but men of science find it difficult to be ad- 

 mitted, are circumstances which exclude all ideas of honour as 

 connected with the transaction. 



In the case of France, the honour of being an Academician 

 is so palpable, that it is universally admitted, and that honour 

 is certainly increased by its being accompanied with a salary. 

 In London the members purchase their place as a matter of 

 barter ; in Paris the academician is purchased by the govern- 

 ment as a commodity valuable to the state. If oixr readers are 

 not satisfied with this view of the subject, we must bring the ar- 

 gument more home to their apprehension. Mr Herschel and 

 Mr Babbage consider the honour of being connected with the 

 Royal Society as so evanescent, that they have omitted the 

 " Ten pound a-piece letters'''' from their names. We may add 

 our testimony, that we feel no honour but much advantage from 

 the connection ; and we request Mr Faraday sincerely to ac- 

 quaint his friend whether he feels himself most honoured by be- 

 ing a Fellow of the Royal Society or a corresponding Member 

 of the Institute. 



4. The fourth proof of the decline of science, namely, that 

 which is drawn from the actual state of science in this country, 

 opens up a field too extensive to be discussed at present. It 

 has been partly treated under other heads, and we shall only 

 appeal to our readers whether Mr Herschel, and Mr Babbage, 

 and Sir James South, — or Mr Faraday and his correspondent, are 

 best fitted to judge of the stateof thephysical sciences in England, 

 and which of the two parties are actuated by the purest and most 



