300 Analyses of Books. (Ocr. 
tion in France. To this circumstance entirely is to be ascribed the 
greater number of mathematicians which that country has lately 
produced than our own. 
Another circumstance wanting in this.country for the flourishing 
of mathematical science is a proper encouragement on the part of 
Government. In some departments of science the number of cul- 
tivators, or at least of amateurs, is so great, that a book published 
on them is pretty certain of selling at least sufficiently to defray its 
own expenses ; so that a man may cultivate these departments, and 
‘lay his discoveries and observations on them before the world, with- 
out much risk of pecuniary loss. But this is far from being the case 
in mathematics. ‘The number of readers in this department has 
always been so small that a mathematical book, unless indeed it be 
a school book, cannot be expected to defray its own expenses by the 
extent of the sale. The consequence must be that none but the 
rich can venture to publish in the higher department of mathematics. 
But unfortunately few rich men are likely to cultivate this difficult 
department of science, and still fewer are disposed to dedicate their 
wealth to tthe advancement of knowledge. Mathematicians, then, 
will in general be deterred from publishing, and of course have but 
little chance of acquiring that reputation which attends the success- 
ful cultivators of the other sciences. Thus the great, the principal 
stimulus to exertion is withdrawn. No wonder, therefore, that but 
few labourers venture to cultivate so rugged and unpromising a field. 
In France, in Prussia, and in Russia, this formidable objection 
has been obviated by the scientific academies established in these 
countries. In them a certain number of mathematicians receive 
salaries, which leave them at liberty to devote the whole of their 
time to their favourite science ; and the expense of their respective 
publications is defrayed by Government. Hence the great number 
of mathematical papers which fill the Memeirs of the Paris, Berlin, 
and Petersburgh Academies, and the various mathematical disco- 
veries which adorn the 18th century. In England the Royal So- 
eiety indeed affords the means of publishing valuable mathematical 
papers free of expense. ‘To that noble institution we owe all the 
mathematics that still lingers in Great Britain. But as the mathe- 
maticians in this country are obliged to provide for themselves with- 
out any assistance from Government, they are compelled to devote 
the greatest part of their time to the laborious occupation of teach- 
ing, or to the compilation of school books, and little leisure is left 
them for the cultivation of the higher branches of the science. 
I have some reason to suspectthat but little attention is paid at 
Cambridge to the recent mathematical improvements made upon 
the Continent; for Lhave met with some good mathematicians from 
Cambridge who were quite unacquainted with these improvements, 
At the same time I admit that I have met with others’ who were 
acquainted with them. re 
3. ‘Lhe third department of knowledge cultivated at Cambridge 
ts moral and political philosophy, metapbysics and theqlegy. The 
