248 Scientific Labors and Character, he. 



discovery may be considered as a new species of manufacture, awaken- 

 ino- moral industry and sagacity, and employing as it were new capi- 

 tal of mind. When Newton developed the system of the universe, 

 and established his own glory and that of the country, on imperisha- 

 ble foundations, he might be regarded as giving a boon to the civilized 

 world, for which no adequate compensation could ever be made ; yet, 

 even in this, the most difficult and sublime field of discovery, Britain 

 has been paid, if not fully, yet fairly, by the labors of Eiiler, La 

 Grange, and above all. La Place ; perfecting the theory of the lunar 

 motions and planetary perturbations, and affording data of infinite im- 

 portance in the theory and practice of navigation. Fortunately sci- 

 ence, like that nature to which it belongs, is neither limited by time 

 nor space. It belongs to the world, and is of no country and no age. 

 The more we know, the more we feel our ignorance, the more we 

 feel how much remains unknown ; and in philosophy, the sentiment 

 of the Macedonian hero can never apply; there are always new 

 worlds to conquer.' — (Discourse IV.) 



The Royal Society of London has been censured for having of 

 late years suffered their attention to be withdrawn from those severer 

 sciences, for which that body, as their earlier volumes of Transac- 

 tions clearly prove, were formerly much distinguished. It is pecu- 

 liarly gratifying therefore to find their president so orthodox on this 

 point, as he shows himself to be, in the discourse delivered on pre- 

 senting the medal to Mr. Ivory for his mathematical performances. 



'I feel the highest satisfaction (says the President,) in anticipating 

 that this reward may renovate the activity of the Society upon this 

 department of science, and that it will return — ' Veteris vestigia 

 flammae' — with new ardor to its so long neglected fields of glory. 

 Whether we consider the nature of mathematical science, or its re- 

 sults, it appears equally amongst the noblest objects of human pursuit 

 and ambition. Arising a work of intellectual creation from a few 

 self-evident propositions on the nature of magnitudes and numbers, it 

 is gradually formed into an instrument of pure reason of the most re- 

 fined kind, applying to and illustrating all the phenomena of nature 

 and art, and embracing the whole system of the visible universe ; and 

 the same calculus measures and points out the application of labor, 

 whether by animals or machines, determines the force of vapor, and 

 confines the power of the most explosive agents in the steam engine, 

 — regulates the forms and structures best fitted to move through the 

 waves — ascertains the strength of the chain-bridge necessary to pass 

 across the arms of the ocean — fixes the principles of permanent foun- 



