CHAPTER XIII. 

 SCIENTIFIC COUNTRIES. 



THE description of modern scientific achievements would 

 be incomplete as an historical presentment, if the contri- 

 bution of each country to the advancement of knowledge was 

 not clearly indicated. 



Four countries may be said to have run almost abreast 

 of one another in the race of progress and far in the van of 

 European science ITALY, FRANCE, GERMANY, ENGLAND. 

 These four nations were not equal to one another in the 

 rapidity of their advance, for Italy preceded the others in the 

 scientific revival and kept the lead for a long time, so that 

 she acted as the instructress of other nations, and these owe 

 to her on that account as much affection and gratitude as 

 healthy and intellectual daughters owe to the mother who 

 nurtured and trained them. But each of these four has 

 the right to consider herself entitled to proudly stand in 

 the front rank. 



The following table of eminent men in each country will 

 prove the most convenient form of exposition : 



