412 On a Dominant Language for Science. 



How much more astonished wouki M. Femssac have been, if 

 informed that these were only the subscribers before pubHca- 

 tion, and that 1000 copies were sold! Since 1829 the sale of 

 scientific books has much increased, as is shown, for example, 

 by the many editions of the works of Lyell and other naturalists, 

 each edition being of 1000 copies. 



Most scientific books in France and other continental coun- 

 tries can only be published when the Government furnishes the 

 cost ; and they are chiefly published in an expensive form as a 

 national display, and are almost confined to their public libra- 

 ries, except the sale of copies that are bought by English 

 collectors. 



In England such works are generally published by indi- 

 vidual enterprise, and depend on the general public for their 

 support, and are published in a style to suit the different 

 classes. Thus there are works of luxuTy for the rich, often 

 published by individuals who confine themselves to the pro- 

 duction of that class of books, very cheap works for the stu- 

 dent and mechanic, and books of all intermediate grades, pro- 

 duced by the regular publishers. The females of all grades 

 are extensive readers of this class of books, which I believe is 

 chiefly the case with English-speaking races. 



Some of the scientific Swedes and liussians have published 

 their papers in the English language, or appended an abstract 

 in English to them, as Thorell on European spiders. Prof. 

 Lilljeborg on Lysianassa, and Prof. Wackerbarth on the 

 planet Leda, &c. &c. The Danes and Dutch often publish 

 their scientific papers in French, as Temminck, Reinhardt, 

 and the late Prof. Van der Hoeven, who themselves read and 

 write English ; but it appears they regard French as the polite 

 language of courts, and forget that courtiers generally have a 

 contempt for science and that they should look among the 

 people for their readers. 



It is to be observed that Professor de Candolle himself uses 

 the French language with a very English construction ; but we 

 believe that his work would have commanded the greatest 

 number of readers if Avritten in the English language, which 

 he reads and writes so fluently. 



See also Mr. Galton's interesting article on the Causes 

 which create Scientific Men, in the 'Fortnightly Review' for 

 March 1873, p. 346, which contains some interesting observa- 

 tions on M. de Candolle's work. 



