298 
Ninety Years of Science. 
take a part. Elevated by her warlike triumphs, she seems to have looked 
with contempt on the less dazzling achievements of her philosophers, 
and, confiding in her past pre-eminence in the arts, to have calculated 
too securely on their permanance. Bribed by foreign gold, or flattered 
by foreign courtesy, her artisans have quitted her service — her machinery 
has been exported to distant markets — the inventions of her philosophers, 
slighted at home, have been eagerly introduced abroad— her scientific 
institutions have been discouraged and even abolished — the articles 
which she supplied to other States have been gradually manufactured 
by themselves ; and, one after another, many of the best arts of England 
have been transferred to other nations The abolition of the Board 
of Longitude, the only scientific board in the kingdom, at last proclaimed 
the mortifying intelligence that England had renounced by Act of 
Parliament her patronage even of the sciences most intimately connected 
with her naval greatness.’ 
The existence of such conditions as this sombre picture delineates 
is scarcely a matter for wonder when the political and economic state- 
of the country is recalled ; but Brewster did not blame that solely or 
even primarily. He hit out all round. He was severe (in a manner 
which is still not unfamiliar) upon our learned societies, although he 
admitted that ‘ persons who are deeply occupied with their own studies 
and affairs cannot devote much personal attention to the management 
of the societies of which they happen to be influential members ’ ; but 
he rated the Royal and other societies for their failure to press the claims 
of science upon the Government. He summed up the position of British 
scientific men in the following words, contrasting it with instances to 
the contrary, drawn from foreign countries, and especially from France : 
‘ There is not at this moment, within the British Isles, a single philo- 
sopher, however eminent have been his services, who bears the lowest 
title that is given to the lowest benefactor of the nation, or to the humblest 
servant of the Crown ! ’ This, it might be said, was an accident almost 
of the moment, although it was so far true that such names as James 
Watts, who died in 1819, were allowed to go down to posterity without 
the adornment of a title. And it might have been supposed that an 
unaffected demand for such ' recognition was probably not one which 
commended itself, then or at any time, to those qualified to bestow it ; 
but the position criticised by Brewster was notably remedied within 
the one or two decades following the foundation of the Association. 
Our body in later years directly contributed to this state of affairs : thus 
Fairburn, in 1861, was offered, but declined, the honour of Knighthood 
in consideration not only of his work as an engineer, but also of his 
‘ able presidency of tlm British Association.’ This instance is by no 
means isolated. 
To the numerous citizens who are taking an interest in the Huil 
Meeting, this book will appeal, and we note that it is for sale at Messrs. 
A. Brown and Sons. 
From the preface we gather that the work is largely due to the gener- 
osity of Sir Charles Parsons, and we observe that the author is indebted 
to Mr. T. Sheppard for correcting proofs and making suggestions. 
o: 
Camping, the Official Organ of the Camping Club of Great Britain 
and Ireland, continues to make its welcome appearance, though the 
Editor appeals for support in the way of contributions, and financially, 
if the Journal is to keep up its standard. 
In recent issues of Nature, ‘ T.S.’ does his best to describe the charms 
of Hull and the East Riding, and the attractions of the forthcoming 
meeting of the British Association. He hopes that the number attending 
wiil exceed that at Edinburgh last year. Optimist ! 
Naturalist 
