Comparative Encouragement to the Study, fyc. 405 



another part of this subject on which we desire to make an ob- 

 servation. It is well known that the French government has 

 the cause of natural science under its own immediate patronage, 

 that no opportunity is neglected by it of cherishing natural his- 

 tory. The establishment of the Jardin des Plantes and its pro- 

 fessors, for which specific appropriations are made every year 

 in the ways and means, is a monument of its wisdom. But for 

 the existence of that institution, Cuvier, and many other great 

 names, together with their invaluable labours, would perhaps 

 for ever have remained unknown. The other continental gov- 

 ernments, also, more or less cherish natural science. The British 

 government, although it has no establishment like the Jardin des 

 Plantes, encourages, with a munificent hand, these important 

 interests. It is to be mentioned to its honour, that when that 

 most immoral of all systems for raising money from the people, 

 the lottery, was destroyed, the government marked the sense it 

 entertained of the value of the labours of the Geological Society 

 of London, by assigning to it the apartments at Somerset house, 

 formerly appropriated to the lottery oflice. 



We had occasion, a short time ago, to correspond with an en- 

 lightened statesman of this country on this subject, and were 

 struck with the following expression in one of his letters : — 

 " From the structure of our government, the patronage of the 

 arts must always be exercised by private wealth and taste, 

 unaided by legislative contribution." We should deplore this, 

 if it were true, and were to comprehend that encouragement 

 due to the physical sciences, which has been so liberally extended 

 to them in other countries. We know not that there is any 

 thing in the constitution of this government, which restrains a 

 congress, disposed to cherish the arts and sciences, from extend- 

 ing to them a wholesome and moderate patronage, during their 

 infancy. We have a precedent in the congressional appropria- 

 tion for Colonel Trumbull's national paintings; and if ever a 

 national observatory shall be erected in these United States, it 

 must also be authorized by the legislature. The friends of 

 science in the United States, feel it as a deep reproach to this 

 country, which claims some pre-eminence for its free institutions, 

 that it should yet remain without a public observatory ; whilst 

 Russia, which we are in tlie habit of looking upon as the head 

 quarters and source of modern despotism, and whose territory 



