decline of science in england-第22章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


test　determination；　there　is　some　little　danger　that　the　average　of　the　whole　may　differ　from　that　of　the　chosen　ones；　owing　to　some　law　of　nature；　dependent　on　the　interval　between　the　two　sets；　which　law　some　future　philosopher　may　discover；　and　thus　the　very　best　observations　may　have　been　thrown　aside。

In　all　these；　and　in　numerous　other　cases；　it　would　most　probably　happen　that　the　cook　would　procure　a　temporary　reputation　for　unrivalled　accuracy　at　the　expense　of　his　permanent　fame。　　It　might　also　have　the　effect　of　rendering　even　all　his　crude　observations　of　no　value；　for　that　part　of　the　scientific　world　whose　opinion　is　of　most　weight；　is　generally　so　unreasonable；　as　to　neglect　altogether　the　observations　of　those　in　whom　they　have；　on　any　occasion；　discovered　traces　of　the　artist。　　In　fact；　the　character　of　an　observer；　as　of　a　woman；　if　doubted　is　destroyed。

The　manner　in　which　facts　apparently　lost　are　restored　to　light；　even　after　considerable　intervals　of　time；　is　sometimes　very　unexpected；　and　a　few　examples　may　not　be　without　their　use。　　The　thermometers　employed　by　the　philosophers　who　composed　the　Academia　Del　Cimento；　have　been　lost；　and　as　they　did　not　use　the　two　fixed　points　of　freezing　and　boiling　water；　the　results　of　a　great　mass　of　observations　have　remained　useless　from　our　ignorance　of　the　value　of　a　degree　on　their　instrument。　　M。　Libri；　of　Florence；　proposed　to　regain　this　knowledge　by　comparing　their　registers　of　the　temperature　of　the　human　body　and　of　that　of　some　warm　springs　in　Tuscany；　which　have　preserved　their　heat　uniform　during　a　century；　as　well　as　of　other　things　similarly　circumstanced。

Another　illustration　was　pointed　out　to　me　by　M。　Gazzeri；　the　Professor　of　Chemistry　at　Florence。　　A　few　years　ago　an　important　suit　in　one　of　the　legal　courts　of　Tuscany　depended　on　ascertaining　whether　a　certain　word　had　been　erased　by　some　chemical　process　from　a　deed　then　before　the　court。　　The　party　who　insisted　that　an　erasure　had　been　made；　availed　themselves　of　the　knowledge　of　M。　Gazzeri；　who；　concluding　that　those　who　committed　the　fraud　would　be　satisfied　by　the　disappearance　of　the　colouring　matter　of　the　ink；　suspected　（either　from　some　colourless　matter　remaining　in　the　letters；　or　perhaps　from　the　agency　of　the　solvent　having　weakened　the　fabric　of　the　paper　itself　beneath　the　supposed　letters）　that　the　effect　of　the　slow　application　of　heat　would　be　to　render　some　difference　of　texture　or　of　applied　substance　evident；　by　some　variety　in　the　shade　of　colour　which　heat　in　such　circumstances　might　be　expected　to　produce。　　Permission　having　been　given　to　try　the　experiment；　on　the　application　of　heat　the　important　word　reappeared；　to　the　great　satisfaction　of　the　court。



CHAPTER　VI。

SUGGESTIONS　FOR　THE　ADVANCEMENT　OF　SCIENCE　IN　ENGLAND。


SECTION　1。

OF　THE　NECESSITY　THAT　MEMBERS　OF　THE　ROYAL　SOCIETY　SHOULD　EXPRESS　THEIR　OPINIONS。

One　of　the　causes　which　has　contributed　to　the　success　of　the　PARTY；　is　to　be　found　in　the　great　reluctance　with　which　many　of　those　whose　names　added　lustre　to　the　Society　expressed　their　opinions；　and　the　little　firmness　with　which　they　maintained　their　objections。　　How　many　times　have　those　whose　activity　was　additionally　stimulated　by　their　interest；　proposed　measures　which　a　few　words　might　have　checked；　whilst　the　names　of　those　whose　culpable　silence　thus　permitted　the　project　to　be　matured；　were　immediately　afterwards　cited　by　their　grateful　coadjutors；　as　having　sanctioned　that　which　in　their　hearts　they　knew　to　be　a　job。

Even　in　the　few　cases　which　have　passed　the　limits　of　such　forbearance；　when　the　subject　has　been　debated　in　the　Council；　more　than　one；　more　than　two　instances　are　known；　where　subsequent　circumstances　have　occurred；　which　proved；　with　the　most　irresistible　moral　evidence；　that　members　have　spoken　on　one　side　of　the　question；　and　have　voted　on　the　contrary。

This　reluctance　to　oppose　that　which　is　disapproved；　has　been　too　extensively　and　too　fatally　prevalent　for　the　interests　of　the　Royal　Society。　　It　may　partly　be　attributed　to　that　reserved　and　retiring　disposition；　which　frequently　marks　the　man　of　real　knowledge；　as　strongly　as　an　officious　interference　and　flippant　manner　do　the　charlatan；　or　the　trader　in　science。　Some　portion　of　it　is　due　to　that　improper　deference　which　was　long　paid　to　every　dictum　of　the　President；　and　much　of　it　to　that　natural　indisposition　to　take　trouble　on　any　point　in　which　a　man's　own　interest　is　not　immediately　concerned。　　It　is　to　be　hoped；　for　the　credit　of　that　learned　body；　that　no　anticipation　of　the　next　feast　of　St。　Andrew　ever　influenced　the　taciturnity　of　their　disposition。　　＇It　may　be　necessary　to　inform　those　who　are　not　members　of　the　Royal　Society；　that　this　is　the　day　on　which　those　Fellows　who　choose；　meet　at　Somerset　House；　to　register　the　names　of　the　Council　and　Officers　the　President　has　been　pleased　to　appoint　for　the　ensuing　year；　and　who　afterwards　dine　together；　for　the　purpose　of　praising　each　other　over　wine；　which；　until　within　these　few　years；　was　PAID　for　out　of　the　FUNDS　of　the　Society。　　This　abuse　was　attacked　by　an　enterprising　reformer；　and　of　course　defended　by　the　coterie。　　It　was；　however；　given　up　as　too　bad。　　The　public　may　form　some　idea　of　the　feeling　which　prevails　in　the　Council；　when　they　are　informed　that　this　practice　was　defended　by　one　of　the　officers　of　the　Society；　on　the　ground　that；　if　abolished；　THE　ASSISTANT　SECRETARY　WOULD　LOSE　HIS　PERCENTAGE　ON　THE　TAVERN　BILLS。＇


SECTION　2。

OF　BIENNIAL　PRESIDENTS。

The　days　in　which　the　Royal　Society　can　have　much　influence　in　science　seem　long　past；　nor　does　it　appear　a　matter　of　great　importance　who　conduct　its　mismanaged　affairs。　　Perpetual　Presidents　have　been　tried　until　the　Society　has　become　disgusted　with　dictators。　　If　any　reform　should　be　attempted；　it　might　perhaps　be　deserving　consideration　whether　the　practice　of　several　of　the　younger　institutions　might　not　be　worthy　imitation；　and　the　office　of　President　be　continued　only　during　two　sessions。　　There　may　be　some　inconveniences　attending　this　arrangement；　but　the　advantages　are　conspicuous；　both　in　the　Astronomical　and　Geological　Societies。　Each　President　is　ambitious　of　rendering　the　period　of　his　reign　remarkable　for　some　improvement　in　the　Society　over　which　he　presides；　and　the　sacrifice　of　time　which　is　made　by　the　officers　of　those　Societies；　would　become　impossible　if　it　were　required　to　be　continued　for　a　much　longer　period。　　Another　circumstance　of　considerable　importance　is；　that　the　personal　character　of　the　President　is　less　impressed　on　the　Society；　and；　supposing　any　injudicious　alterations　to　be　made；　it　is　much　less　difficult　to　correct　them。


SECTION　3。

OF　THE　INFLUENCE　OF　THE　COLLEGES　OF　PHYSICIANS　AND　SURGEONS　IN　THE　ROYAL　SOCIETY。

The　honour　of　belonging　to　the　Royal　Society　is　much　sought　after　by　medical　men；　as　contributing　to　the　success　of　their　professional　efforts；　and　two　consequences　result　from　it。　　In　the　first　place；　the　pages　of　the　Transactions　of　the　Royal　Society　occasionally　contain　medical　papers　of　very　moderate　merit；　and；　in　the　second；　the　preponderance　of　the　medical　interest　introduces　into　the　Society　some　of　the　jealousies　of　that　profession。　　On　the　other　hand；　medicine　is　intimately　connected　with　many　sciences；　and　its　professors　are　usually　too　much　occupied　in　their　practice　to　exert　themselves；　except　upon　great　occasions。


SECTION　4。

OF　THE　INFLUENCE　OF　THE　ROYAL　INSTITUTION　ON　THE　ROYAL　SOCIETY。

The　Royal　Institution　was　founded　for　the　cultivation　of　the　more　popular　and　elementary　branches　of　scientific　knowledge；　and　has　risen；　partly　from　the　splendid　discoveries　of　Davy；　and　partly　from　the　decline　of　the　Royal　Society；　to　a　more　prominent　station　than　it　would　otherwise　have　occupied　in　the　science　of　England。　　Its　general　effects　in　diffusing　knowledge　among　the　more　educated　classes　of　the　metropolis；　have　been；　and　continue　to　be；　valuable。　　Its　influence；　however；　in　the　government　of　the　Royal　Society；　is　by　no　means　attended　with　similar　advantages；　and　has　justly　been　viewed　with　considerable　jealousy　by　many　of　the　Fellows　of　that　body。　It　may　be　stated；　without　disparagement　to　the　Royal　Institution；　that　the　scientific　qualifications　necessary　for　its　officers；　however　respectable；　are　not　quite　of　that　high　order　which　ought　to　be　required　for　those　of　the　Royal　Society；　if　the　latter　body　were　in　a　state　of　vigour。

The　Royal　Institution　interest　has　always　been　sufficient　to　appoint　one　of　the　Secretaries　of　the　Royal　Society；　and　at　the　present　moment　they　have　appointed　two。　　In　a　short　time；　unless　some　effectual　check　is　put　to　this；　we　shall　find　them　nominating　the　President　and　the　rest　of　the　officers。　　It　is　certainly　not　consistent　with　the　dignity　of　the　Royal　Society　thus　to　allow　its　offices　to　be　given　away　as　the　rewards　of　services　rendered　to　other　institutions。　　The　only　effectual　way　to　put　a　stop　to　this　increasing　interest　would　be；　to　declare　that　no　manager　or　officer　of　the　Royal　Institution　should　ever；　at　the　same　time；　hold　office　in　the　Royal　Society。

The　use　the　Members　of　the　Royal　Institution　endeavour　to　make　of　their　power　in　the　Council　of　the　Royal　Society；　is　exemplified　in　the　minutes　of　the　Council　of　March　11；　1830；　which　may　be　consulted　with　advantage　by　those　who　doubt。


SECTION　5。

OF　THE　TRANSACTIONS　OF　THE　ROYAL　SOCIETY。

The　Transactions　of　the　Royal　Society；　unlike　those　of　most　foreign　academies；　contain　nothing　relating　to　the　history　of　the　Society。　　The　volumes　contain　merely　those　papers　communicated　to　the　Society　in　the　preceding　year　which　the　Council　have　selected　for　printing；　a　meteorological　register；　and　a　notice　of　the　award　of　the　annual　medals；　without　any　list　of　the　Council　and　officers　of　the　Society；　by　whom　that　selection　and　that　award　have　been　made。

Before　I　proceed　to　criticise　this　state　of　things；　I　will　mention　one　point　on　which　I　am　glad　to　he　able　to　bestow　on　the　Royal　Society　the　highest　praise。　　I　refer　to　the　extreme　regularity　with　which　the　volumes　of　the　Transactions　are　published。　　The　appearance　of　the　half…volumes　at　intervals　of　six　months；　insures　for　any　communication　almost　immediate　publicity；　whilst　the　shortness　of　the　time　between　its　reception　and　publication；　is　a　guarantee　to　the　public　that　the　whole　of　the　paper　was　really　communicated　at　the　time　it　bears　date。　　To　this　may　also　be　added；　the　rarity　of　any　alterations　made　previously　to　the　printing；　a　circumstance　which　ought　to　be　imitated；　as　well　as　admired；　by　other　societies。　　There　may；　indeed；　be　some；　perhaps　the　Geological；　in　which　the　task　is　more　difficult；　from　the　nature　of　the　subject。　The　sooner；　however；　all　societies　can　reduce　themselves　to　this　rule；　of　rarely　allowing　any　thing　but　a　few　verbal　corrections　to　papers　that　are　placed　in　their　hands；　the　better　it　will　be　for　their　own　reputation；　and　for　the　interests　of　science。

It　has　been；　and　continues　to　be；　a　subject　of　deep　regret；　that　the　first　scientific　academy　in　Europe；　the　Institute　of　France；　should　be　thus　negligent　in　the　regularity　of　its　publications；　and　it　is　the　more　to　be　regr