Decline of Science in England - Charles Babbage (reading well .txt) 📗

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observation and critical discussion. The greater number of these

well-arranged collections have existed, like the University of

Berlin, scarcely twenty years. The oldest of them, to which the

Botanical Garden, (one of the richest in Europe) belongs, have

during this period not only been increased, but entirely

remodelled. The amusement and instruction derived from such

institutions, call to our minds, with deep feelings of gratitude,

that they are the work of that great monarch, who modestly and in

simple grandeur, adorns every year this royal city with new

treasures of nature and art; and what is of still greater value

than the treasures themselves,—what inspires every Prussian with

youthful strength, and with an enthusiastic love for the ancient

reigning family,—that he graciously attaches to himself every

species of talent, and extends with confidence his royal

protection to the free cultivation of the understanding.

 

This was followed by a paper on magnetism, by Professor Oersted;

and several other memoirs were then read.

 

The arrival of so many persons of similar pursuit, (for 464

members were present,) rendered it convenient to have some

ordinary, at which those who chose might dine, and introduce

their friends or families. This had been foreseen, and his

Majesty had condescended to allow the immense building used for

the exercise of his troops, to be employed for this purpose.

One-third of it was floored on the occasion, and tables were

arranged, at which, on one occasion, 850 persons sat down to

dinner. On the evening of the first day, M. de Humboldt gave a

large SOIREE in the concert rooms attached to the theatre. About

1200 persons assembled on this occasion, and his Majesty the King

of Prussia honoured with his presence the fete of his illustrious

chamberlain. The nobility of the country, foreign princes, and

foreign ambassadors, were present. It was gratifying to observe

the princes of the blood mingling with the cultivators of

science, and to see the heir-apparent to the throne, during the

course of the evening, engaged in conversation with those most

celebrated for their talents, of his own, or of other countries.

 

Nor were the minor arrangements of the evening beneath the

consideration of the President. The words of the music selected

for the concert, were printed and distributed to the visitors.

The names of the most illustrious philosophers which Germany had

produced, were inscribed in letters of gold at the end of the

great concert room.

 

In the first rank amongst these stood a name which, England, too,

enrolls amongst the brightest in her scientific annals; and

proud, as well she may be, of having fostered and brought to

maturity the genius of the first Herschel, she has reaped an

ample reward in being able to claim as entirely her own, the

inheritor of his talents and his name.

 

The six succeeding days were occupied, in the morning, by a

meeting of the academy, at which papers of general interest were

read. In the afternoon, through the arrangement of M. de Humboldt

and M. Lichtenstein, various rooms were appropriated for

different sections of the academy. In one, the chemical

philosophers attended to some chemical memoir, whilst the

botanists assembled in another room, the physiologists in a

third, and the natural philosophers in a fourth. Each attended to

the reading of papers connected with their several sciences. Thus

every member was at liberty to choose that section in which he

felt most interest at the moment, and he had at all times power

of access to the others. The evenings were generally spent at

some of the SOIREES of the savans, resident at Berlin, whose

hospitality and attentions to their learned brethren of other

countries were unbounded. During the unoccupied hours of the

morning, the collections of natural history, which are rapidly

rising into importance, were open to examination; and the various

professors and directors who assisted the stranger in his

inquiries, left him equally gratified by the knowledge and

urbanity of those who so kindly aided him.

 

A map of Europe was printed, on which those towns only appeared

which had sent representatives to this scientific congress; and

the numbers sent by different kingdoms appeared by the following

table, which was attached to it;—

Russia… … … 1

Austria … … . . 0

England … … . . 1

Holland … … . . 2

Denmark … … . . 7

France … … . . 1

Sardinia … … . 0

Prussia … … . . 95

Bavaria … … . . 12

Hanover … … . . 5

Saxony … … . . 21

Wirtemburg … … 2

Sweden … … . . 13

Naples … … . . 1

Poland … … . . 3

German States … . . 43

–

206

Berlin … … . 172

–

378

The proportion in which the cultivators of different sciences

appeared, was not easy to ascertain, because there were few

amongst the more eminent who had not added to more than one

branch of human knowledge. The following table, though not

professing to be very accurate, will afford, perhaps, a tolerably

fair view:—

 

Geometers … … . 11

Astronomers … … 5

Natural Philosophers . 23

— 39

 

Mines … … … 5

Mineralogy … … 16

Geology … … . . 9

— 30

 

Chemistry … … … 18

Geography … … … 8

Anatomy … … … . 12

 

Zoology … … . . 14

Natural History … . 8

Botany … … … 35

— 57

 

Physicians … … . 175

Amateurs … … . 9

Various … … . . 35

–

381

A medal was struck in commemoration of this meeting, and it was

proposed that it should form the first of a series, which should

comprise all those persons most celebrated for their scientific

discoveries in the past and present age.

 

APPENDIX, No. 2.

 

An examination into some charges brought against one of the

twenty-four candidates, mentioned in a note as having their names

suspended in the meeting-room of the Royal Society, at one time,

has caused a printed pamphlet to be circulated amongst the

members of the Society. Of the charges themselves I shall offer

no opinion, but entreat every member to judge for himself. I

shall, however, make one extract, which tends to show how the

ranks of the Society are recruited.

 

EXTRACT FROM A PRINTED LETTER FROM A. F. M. TO J. G. CHILDREN,

ESQ. DATED, 22, UPPER BEDFORD-PLACE, MARCH 13, 1830.

 

“When I wished you to Propose me at the Geological Society, you

asked me why you should not propose me also at the Royal Society;

and my answer was, that it was an honour to which I did not think

I could aspire; that my talents were too insignificant to warrant

such pretensions. Many days passed, and still you pressed me on

the subject, because your partiality made you think me deserving

of the honour; but I resisted, really through modesty, not that I

did not covet the distinction, until something was said of my

paper on the meteoric mass of iron of Brazil, which was published

some years ago in the Transactions of the Royal Society; when you

insisted on proposing me, and I assented gratefully, because I

was and am desirous of being a Fellow of the Royal Society, if I

can be supposed worthy of having my name so honourably enrolled.”

 

EXTRACT FROM A LETTER OF J. G. CHILDREN, ESQ. TO A. F. M. ESQ.

DATED, BRITISH MUSEUM, MARCH 24, 1830.

 

“All that you have said respecting your being a candidate for

admission into the Royal Society, is correct to the letter. I

pressed the subject upon you, and I would do it again to-morrow,

were it necessary.”

 

Here, then, we find Mr. Children, who has been on the Council of

the Royal Society, and who was, a few years since, one of its

Secretaries, pressing one of his friends to become, and actually

insisting on proposing him as, a Fellow of the Royal Society, He

must have been well aware of the feelings which prevail amongst

the Council as to the propriety of such a step, and by publishing

the fact, seems quite satisfied that such a course is

advantageous to the interests of the Society. That similar

applications were not unfrequently made in private, is well

known; but it remains for the Society to consider whether, now

they are publicly and officially announced to them, it will

sanction this mode of augmenting the already numerous list of its

fellows.

 

APPENDIX, No. 3,

 

LIST OF THE MEMBERS OF THE ROYAL SOCIETY, WHO HAVE CONTRIBUTED TO

THE PHILOSOPHICAL TRANSACTIONS, OR HAVE BEEN ON THE COUNCIL.

 

N. B.—The Numbers are made up to the present year for the

Papers, but only to 1827 for Members of the Council.

 

No. of No. of

Papers years on

printed Council.

in Phil.

Trans.

––— ––-

3 Aberdeen, Earl of.

3 3 Abernethy, John.

2 Allan, Thomas.

3 Allen, William.

1 Arden, Lord.

1 Atholl, Duke of.

7 2 Babbage, Charles,

1 Babington, William.

1 2 Baily,Francis.

9 Barlow, Peter. (C)

2 Barnard, Sir F. Augusta.

5 Barrow, John.

2 Bauer, Francis.

1 Bayley, John.

1 Beaufort, Francis.

2 Beaufoy, Henry.

5 Bell, Charles.

1 Bingley, Robert.

1 Blackburne, John.

3 Blake, William.

1 3 Blane, Sir Gilbert.

1 1 Blizard, Sir William.

1 1 Bostock, John.

12 10 Brande, Wm. Thos. (C)

16 Brewster, David. (C)

6 1 Brodie, B. Collins. (C)

1 Bromhead Sir E. F.

3 Brougham, Henry.

1 Browne, Henry.

1 Brown, Robert.

2 Brownlow, Earl.

1 Buckland, Rev. W. (C)

1 Burney, Rev. C. Parr.

1 Canterbury, Archbp. of.

1 Carew, Rt. Hon. R. P.

7 Carlisle, Sir Anthony.

2 Carlisle, Nicholas.

1 Carne, Joseph.

1 Carrington, Sir C. E.

2 Charleville, Earl of.

7 2 Chenevix, Richard. (C)

3 4 Children, John George.

10 Christie, Sam. Hunter.

1 Clerk, Sir George.

2 Clift, William.

9 Cloyne, Bishop of. (C)

2 Colby, Colonel Thomas.

1 Colebrooke, Henry T.

2 2 Cooper, Sir Astley P. (C)

1 Crichton, Sir Alex.

5 Croker, John Wilson.

1 Cullum, Sir T. Gery.

2 Dalton, John.

2 Darnley, Earl of

1 Darwin, Robert Waring.

1 Davis, John Francis.

2 Davy, Edmund.

13 Davy, John.

3 Dyllwin, Lewis Weston.

1 Dollond, George.

1 Dudley and Ward, Visc.

2 Earle, Henry.

1 Egremont, Earl of.

1 Fallows, Rev. Fearon.

8 Faraday, Michael.

1 Farnborough, Lord.

1 Fisher, Rev. George.

1 Fly, Rev. Henry.

2 Foster, Henry.

1 1 Frankland, Sir Thomas.

1 Gibbes, Sir Geo, Smith.

2 13 Gilbert, Davies.

2 Gillies, John.

5 Goldingham, John.

3 1 Gompertz, Benjamin.

1 Goodenough, George T.

2 Gordon, Sir James W.

3 Granville, Augustus B.

1 Greatorex, Thomas.

1 Greenough, Geo.Bellas.

1 Griffiths, John.

3 1 Groombridge, Stephen.

1 Halford, Sir Henry.

2 Hall, Basil.

1 Hamilton, Wm. Rich.

2 Hardwicke, Earl of.

2 Harvey, George.

1 Harwood, J.

16 10 Hatchett, Charles. (C)

1 Hawkins, John.

2 2 Heberden, William.

9 Hellins, Rev. John, (C)

1 Henley, Morton Lord.

10 Henry, William. (C)

12 6 Herschel, John F.W. (C)

1 Hoare, Henry Hugh

1 Hoare, Sir Richard Colt.

2 Hobhouse, Sir Benj.

1 Holland, Henry.

109 16 Home, Sir Everard. (C)

2 Hope, Thomas Charles.

1 Hosack, David.

1 1 Horsburgh, James.

1 Howard, Luke.

2 Hume, Sir Abraham.

7 2 Ivory, James.C.

1 Jekyll, Joseph.

4 1 Johnson, Jas. Rawlins.

13 7 Kater, Capt. Henry. (C)

2 Kidd, John.

24 1 Knight, Thomas A. (C)

1 1 Konig, Charles.

2 Lambert, Aylmer B.

1 Lansdowne, Marquis of.

1 1 Latham, John.

2 Lax, Rev. William.

1 Leach, William Elford.

1 Lowther, Viscount.

2 Macartney, James.

2 Macdonald, Lieut. Col.

1 Mac Grigor, Sir James.

2 Mac Leay, Alexander.

1 Mansfield, Earl