Decline of Science in England. 355 



patriotic motives in the opinions which they have maintained 

 respecting the decline of science. The motives of men are ge- 

 nerally not cognizable by human judgment ; but circumstances 

 often present themselves, in which motives are as palpable as 

 the actions to which they lead. When Mr Babbage, Mr Her- 

 schel, and Sir James South sounded the alarm of declining 

 science, did they sit down with folded arms to witness its de- 

 cay. On the contrary, they were, and still are, the most ar- 

 dent and active philosophers in England ; and, what is more, 

 they are all men perfectly independent in fortune, seeking for no 

 official emoluments, but generously devoting all their time, and 

 much of their fortune, to sustain and revive those very sciences 

 of which they have lamented the decline. The occupations and 

 the motives of these three great men are peculiarly under pub- 

 lic observation ; and though it is perhaps unfair to separate one 

 from the rest, we cannot but express our admiration of the no- 

 ble and unrivalled sacrifices which have been made by Sir James 

 South to promote the progress of astronomical science. 



But who are the patriotic defenders of English science ; the 

 panders to our national vanity, the calumniators of genius, who 

 represent our first philosophers as Firebrands, and ascribe to 

 disappointment, and irritability and faction, the warnings and 

 expostulations of the best friends of England ? Let them stand 

 forth ! let them unmask their persons ! and let him especially 

 present himself to be scanned by the eye of truth, who dared to 

 say to the philosophers and inventors of England, what the ex- 

 perience of every one of them contradicts, " that theue is 



" AMPLE WEALTH IN ENGLAND READY UI'ON THE SLIGHT KM' 

 * HINT TO SIJri'OUT THli EXI'ENCES OE SCIENTIFIC JNVESTI- 

 " GATIONS. r> 



The last subject noticed by the author of the pamphlet under 

 review, is the subject of conferring titles on persons eminent in 

 •science and literature. On this subject the author substantially 

 agrees with Mr Babbage, but he is so unwilling to entertain one 

 opinion in common with him, that he contrives, even on this 

 point, to fall out with him by the way. 



" Among the means " says he " of encouraging science in 

 " England, Mr Babbage propose.; the institution of * an order 

 " of merit. 1 Docs Mr Babbage imagine that l)r Wollustonor 

 l)r Maskclyne, or fcomc such mm, would hive been more re- 



