decline of science in england-第26章

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tions　of　Europe。

But　although　I　must　restrain　the　expression　of　my　personal　feelings　in　presence　of　this　assembly；　I　must　be　permitted　at　least　to　name　the　patriarchs　of　our　national　glory；　who　are　detained　from　us　by　a　regard　for　those　lives　so　dear　to　their　country；Goethe；　whom　the　great　creations　of　poetical　fancy　have　not　prevented　from　penetrating　the　ARCANA　of　nature；　and　who　now　in　rural　solitude　mourns　for　his　princely　friend；　as　Germany　for　one　of　her　greatest　ornaments；Olbers；　who　has　discovered　two　bodies　where　he　had　already　predicted　they　were　to　be　found；the　greatest　anatomists　of　our　ageSoemmering；　who；　with　equal　zeal；　has　investigated　the　wonders　of　organic　structure；　and　the　spots　and　FACULAE　of　the　sun；　（condensations　and　openings　of　the　photosphere；）　Blumenbach；　whose　pupil　I　have　the　honour　to　be；　who；　by　his　works　and　his　immortal　eloquence；　has　inspired　everywhere　a　love　of　comparative　anatomy；　physiology；　and　the　general　history　of　nature；　and　who　has　laboured　diligently　for　half　a　century。　　How　could　I　resist　the　temptation　to　adorn　my　discourse　with　names　which　posterity　will　repeat；　as　we　are　not　favoured　with　their　presence？

These　observations　on　the　literary　wealth　of　our　native　country；　and　the　progressive　developement　of　our　institution；　lead　us　naturally　to　the　obstructions　which　will　arise　from　the　increasing　number　of　our　fellow…labourers；　The　chief　object　of　this　assembly　does　not　consist；　as　in　other　societies　whose　sphere　is　more　limited；　in　the　mutual　interchange　of　treatises；　or　in　innumerable　memoirs；　destined　to　be　printed　in　some　general　collection。　　The　principal　object　of　this　Society　is；　to　bring　those　personally　together　who　are　engaged　in　the　same　field　of　science。　　It　is　the　immediate；　and　therefore　more　obvious　interchange　of　ideas；　whether　they　present　themselves　as　facts；　opinions；　or　doubts。　　It　is　the　foundation　of　friendly　connexion　which　throws　light　on　science；　adds　cheerfulness　to　life；　and　gives　patience　and　amenity　to　the　manners。

In　the　most　flourishing　period　of　ancient　Greece；　the　distinction　between　words　and　writing　first　manifested　itself　most　strongly　amongst　a　race；　which　had　raised　itself　to　the　most　splendid　intellectual　superiority；　and　to　whose　latest　descendants；　as　preserved　from　the　shipwreck　of　nations；　we　still　consecrate　our　most　anxious　wishes。　　It　was　not　the　difficulty　of　interchange　of　ideas　alone；　nor　the　want　of　German　science；　which　has　spread　thought　as　on　wings　through　the　world；　and　insured　it　a　long　continuance；　that　then　induced　the　friends　of　philosophy　and　natural　history　in　Magna　Graecia　and　Asia　Minor　to　wander　on　long　journeys。　　That　ancient　race　knew　the　inspiring　influence　of　conversation　as　it　extemporaneously；　freely；　and　prudently　penetrates　the　tissue　of　scientific　opinions　and　doubts。　　The　discovery　of　the　truth　without　difference　of　opinion　is　unattainable；　because　the　truth；　in　its　greatest　extent；　can　never　be　recognized　by　all；　and　at　the　same　time。　　Each　step；　which　seems　to　bring　the　explorer　of　nature　nearer　to　his　object；　only　carries　him　to　the　threshold　of　new　labyrinths。　　The　mass　of　doubt　does　not　diminish；　but　spreads　like　a　moving　cloud　over　other　and　new　fields；　and　whoever　has　called　that　a　golden　period；　when　difference　of　opinions；　or；　as　some　are　accustomed　to　express　it；　the　disputes　of　the　learned；　will　be　finished；　has　as　imperfect　a　conception　of　the　wants　of　science；　and　of　its　continued　advancement；　as　a　person　who　expects　that　the　same　opinions　in　geognosy；　chemistry；　or　physiology；　will　be　maintained　for　several　centuries。

The　founders　of　this　society；　with　a　deep　sense　of　the　unity　of　nature；　have　combined　in　the　completest　manner；　all　the　branches　of　physical　knowledge；　and　the　historical；　geometrical；　and　experimental　philosophy。　　The　names　of　natural　historian　and　natural　philosopher　are　here；　therefore；　nearly　synonimous；　chained　by　a　terrestrial　link　to　the　type　of　the　lower　animals。　Man　completes　the　scale　of　higher　organization。　　In　his　physiological　and　pathological　qualities；　he　scarcely　presents　to　us　a　distinct　class　of　beings。　　As　to　what　has　brought　him　to　this　exalted　object　of　physical　study；　and　has　raised　him　to　general　scientific　investigation；　belongs　principally　to　this　society。　Important　as　it　is　not　to　break　that　link　which　embraces　equally　the　investigation　of　organic　and　inorganic　nature；　still　the　increasing　ties　and　daily　developement　of　this　institution　renders　it　necessary；　besides　the　general　meeting　which　is　destined　for　these　halls；　to　have　specific　meetings　for　single　branches　of　science。　　For　it　is　only　in　such　contracted　circles；　it　is　only　among　men　whom　reciprocity　of　studies　has　brought　together；　that　verbal　discussions　can　take　place。　　Without　this　sort　of　communication；　would　the　voluntary　association　of　men　in　search　of　truth　be　deprived　of　an　inspiring　principle。

Among　the　preparations　which　are　made　in　this　city　for　the　advancement　of　the　society；　attention　has　been　principally　paid　to　the　possibility　of　such　a　subdivision　into　sections。　　The　hope　that　these　preparations　will　meet　with　your　approbation；　imposes　upon　me　the　duty　of　reminding　you；　that；　although　you　had　entrusted　to　two　travellers；　equally；　the　duty　of　making　these　arrangements；　yet　it　is　to　one　alone；　my　noble　friend；　M。　Lichtenstein；　that　the　merit　of　careful　precaution　and　indefatigable　activity　is　due。　　Out　of　respect　to　the　scientific　spirit　which　animates　the　Society　of　German　Naturalists　and　Natural　Philosophy；　and　in　acknowledgment　of　the　utility　of　their　efforts；　government　have　seconded　all　our　wishes　with　the　greatest　cheerfulness。

In　the　vicinity　of　the　place　of　meeting；　which　has　in　this　manner　been　prepared　for　our　general　and　special　labours；　are　situated　the　museums　dedicated　to　anatomy；　zoology；　oryctognosy；　and　geology。　　They　exhibit　to　the　naturalist　a　rich　mine　for　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