270 Scientific Reviews. 
to life. A sort of patriotic vanity led us to hope that, in speaking of 
the modern Briton, we could hold up a medel to the world of the ra- 
pidity of the mind’s course ; we looked to our country as an ely- 
sium of perfection where all was freedom of thought and action, 
and where in an especial manner the talismanic name of “ scienti- 
fic student” was an universal passport; and we declared in our 
enthusiasm, that in this favourite isle the mere atmosphere of phi- 
losophy, though unbreathed by the men whom it surrounded, was 
incompatible with the existence of that overbearing arrogance 
which ignorance wears as a cloak to conceal her incapacity. But 
the visions which flit along the study soon lese their indistinct- 
ness in the open world, and all the pleasing semblance ‘of perfee- 
tion is reduced to the harsh outline of an odious reality. 
It will be unnecessary, after the statement which was made in 
onr last number, (p. 169, Note,) and after what has taken place 
in Edinburgh since its publication, to delineate more precisely, to 
those who are interested, the immediate cause of these desponding 
reflexions. 
If it be the right of any man to complain of disappointment at 
the perverted condition of domestic affairs, it is undoubtedly ours ; 
for we have not only had to submit to a sense of degradation from 
an unmannnerly refusal to our polite request to a Professor for 
rightful aid in our scientific studies, but we have had to listen, 
during the past month, to the unanimous wail which was bruited 
in echo to our cry. The voice of the multitude is raised high 
against the oppressor ; and when we hinted at the dissolution of 
monopoly, we had little foresight how signal it might be. 
Convinced, as we were, of the propriety and necessity of the 
measure, we felt the greatest reluctance in admitting into our last 
number, that simple statement of facts which has attracted the at- 
tention of our fellow townsmen more suddenly and seriously than 
we had reason to expect, after their long resignation to those unex- 
ampled abuses against which we have exclaimed. For we could 
not avoid the painful sensation of mortified pride when our own 
beloved science was dragged into contumely by conduct and-lan- 
guage from her Professor, which, would it not have been an un- 
pardonable breach of duty in an unshackled man to submit to in 
quiet, had better have been buried in oblivion than put into the 
mouth of scoffers for an everlasting byeword. We do most sincerely 
-ask the indulgence of all men of delicate and honourable minds for 
the imper ative line of conduct which they will be convinced that our 
independence has obliged us to pursue. But now that we have ex- 
cited, by our personal » wrongs, the smothered indignation of an in- 
jured public, we shall step “unconditionally forward, and not bate 
one iota of exertion till we see the demon of intelerance cast down, 
and sacrificed on his own altars, a victim to the tyr annical abuse 
of power. 
In commencing our strictures on the management of the Edin- 
burgh College Museum, we do not hesitate to declare that Profes- 
