MURCHISOtf AXD BABBAGE. 307 



CHAPTER XLIV. 



MUECHISON AND BABBAGE. 



THE curious contrast of character presented by these two eminent 

 men, and the very different course of their lives, conveys a striking 

 lesson to all those superficial thinkers and unthinking talkers who 

 make sweeping generalizations concerning human character, who as- 

 sume as a matter of course that any man who writes poetry must be 

 merely a dreamer of day-dreams, incapable of transacting any practi- 

 cal daily business, and not at all reliable in money matters ; whose 

 eyes are always " in a fine frenzy rolling ;" that he is, in short, a sort 

 of amiable, harmless lunatic. All actors, according to such people, 

 are dissipated spendthrifts ; and if Sims Reeves, or any other public 

 performer, is prevented by delicate larynx or other indisposition 

 from appearing, they look knowing, shrug their shoulders, wink 

 wisely, and assume, without the faintest shadow of evidence, that he 

 is drunk. 



In like manner they set up a typical philosopher of their own 

 manufacture, and attribute his imaginary character to all who devote 

 themselves to science. Their philosopher is a musty, dried-up, 

 absent-minded pedant, whose ordinary conversation is conducted in 

 words of seven syllables, who is always lost in profound abstractions ; 

 takes no interest in common things ; regards music, dancing, play- 

 acting, poetry, and every cheerful pursuit as frivolous and contempti- 

 ble a creature who never makes a joke, seldom laughs, and who in 

 matters of business is even more incapable than the poet. 



The singular contrast of character presented by Babbage and Mur- 

 chison affords at once a most complete refutation of such generaliza- 

 tions. Here were two men, both philosophers, one the very type of 

 amiability, suavity, and all conceivable polish, the verj' perfection of 

 a courtier, but differing from the vulgar courtier of the Court in this 

 respect, that his high-toned courtesy was not bestowed upon kings 

 only, but also upon all his human brethren, and with especial grace- 

 fulness upon those whose rank was below his own. 



I doubt whether there is any man now living, or has lived during 

 this generation, that could equal Sir Koderick Murchison in the art 

 of distributing showers of compliments upon a large number of 

 different people in succession, and making each recipient delightfully 

 satisfied with himself. In his position as Chairman to the Geological 

 Section of the British Association, he did this with marvellous tact, 

 without the least fulsomeness or repetition, or any display of patron- 

 izing. Every man who read a paper before that section was better 

 than ever satisfied with the great merits and vast importance of his 

 communication, after hearing the Chairman's comments upon it. 

 None but a most detestably strong-minded and logical brute could 

 resist the insinuating flattery of Sir Roderick. 



How different was poor Babbage ! Who that attends any sort of 

 scientific gatherings has not seen Sir Eoderick ? but who in the world 

 excepting the organ-grinders and the police magistrate has ever seen 

 Babbage, or even his portrait ? What a contrast between the seclu- 

 sion and the public existence ; between the hedgehog bristles and the 

 velvet softness, of the one and the other ! 



