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Report on Scientific Societies . [September, 
rooms. In my opinion the fellowships in the English Uni- 
versities— if only Fellows were elected upon a better 
principle — are much more advantageous ; and if the now 
somewhat dormant institution of lecturers or prseledtors in 
the colleges were more largely developed, the English Uni- 
versities would have nothing to envy from, and much to 
boast over, those of Germany in this respedt. 
The principal aim of the German Universities, as well as 
of the French Academy, is to uphold the principle of 
authority in science, which has a great many effedts that are 
detrimental to its progress. Authority in science means 
infallibility, and it means also stagnation. But the essence 
of science is development, which is identical with change, 
and variation from ancient theories or received doctrines. 
The French Academy has generally not been favourable to 
novelties started out of its own precindts, as is shown by its 
treatment of such men as Fresnel, Fourier, or Melloni. I 
know also of a case in which it was found impossible to get 
a correction or mention of mistakes, which one of its mem- 
bers had happened to make, inserted in the Proceedings of 
the Academy, notwithstanding repeated attempts. The 
desire to have that done was supposed to imply naivete . In 
a similar way the German Universities enforce a certain 
uniformity in the preparation of scientific students, and 
they measure all ability by a fixed yet arbitrary standard. 
Investigation must be schulgerecht , as it is called, — for which 
the French have the word classique, but I doubt whether 
there be any real equivalent in English. A. mind of inde- 
pendent character or original turn has thus a hard struggle 
for existence ; for, in order to get recognised, it must be 
fashioned on the approved pattern. Men like Davy or 
Faraday are consequently unknown to the history of German 
or French science, as their irregular preparation would have 
debarred them from coming under notice, and still more so 
from making their way. On the other hand, great errors 
are propagated and kept up under the wing of authority ; 
and if once a philosopher has obtained a certain sway, or 
formed a so-called “ school,” his teaching will be kept up 
long after its errors have been detected. Thus certain 
theories are still taught all over Germany in physics which 
are manifestly untenable, and to attack them is punished 
more severely than heresy is in religion nowadays. Theories 
propounded by new men are generally overlooked. On the 
other hand, I could tell an instance in the recent history of 
physical science where a discovery undoubtedly not novel 
and manifestly incomplete has been accepted on the 
