decline of science in england-第3章

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　be；　and　to　meet　this　variety　in　the　tastes　and　inclinations　of　those　who　come　to　us　for　instruction；　we　have；　besides　the　regular　lectures　to　which　all　must　attend；　other　sources　of　information　from　whence　the　students　may　acquire　sound　and　varied　knowledge　in　the　numerous　lectures　on　chemistry；　geology；　botany；　history；　&c。　　It　is　at　present　a　matter　of　option　with　the　student；　which；　and　how　many　of　these　courses　he　shall　attend；　and　such　it　should　still　remain。　　All　that　it　would　be　necessary　to　add　would　be；　that　previously　to　taking　his　degree；　each　person　should　be　examined　by　those　Professors；　whose　lectures　he　had　attended。　　The　pupils　should　then　be　arranged　in　two　classes；　according　to　their　merits；　and　the　names　included　in　these　classes　should　be　printed。　　I　would　then　propose　that　no　young　man；　except　his　name　was　found　amongst　the　〃List　of　Honours；〃　should　be　allowed　to　take　his　degree；　unless　he　had　been　placed　in　the　first　class　of　some　one　at　least　of　the　courses　given　by　the　professors。　　But　it　should　still　be　imperative　upon　the　student　to　possess　such　mathematical　knowledge　as　we　usually　require。　　If　he　had　attained　the　first　rank　in　several　of　these　examinations；　it　is　obvious　that　we　should　run　no　hazard　in　a　little　relaxing：　　the　strictness　of　his　mathematical　trial。

If　it　should　be　thought　preferable；　the　sciences　might　be　grouped；　and　the　following　subjects　be　taken　together：

Modern　History。　Laws　of　England。　Civil　Law。

Political　Economy。　Applications　of　Science　to　Arts　and　Manufactures。

Chemistry。　Mineralogy。　Geology。

Zoology；　including　Physiology　and　Comparative　Anatomy。　Botany；　including　Vegetable　Physiology　and　Anatomy。

One　of　the　great　advantages　of　such　a　system　would　be；　that　no　young　person　would　have　an　excuse　for　not　studying；　by　stating；　as　is　most　frequently　done；　that　the　only　pursuits　followed　at　Cambridge；　classics　and　mathematics；　are　not　adapted　either　to　his　taste；　or　to　the　wants　of　his　after　life。　　His　friends　and　relatives　would　then　reasonably　expect　every　student　to　have　acquired　distinction　in　SOME　pursuit。　　If　it　should　be　feared　that　this　plan　would　lead　to　too　great　a　diversity　of　pursuits　in　the　same　individual；　a　limitation　might　be　placed　upon　the　number　of　examinations　into　which　the　same　person　might　be　permitted　to　enter。　　It　might　also　be　desirable　not　to　restrict　the　whole　of　these　examinations　to　the　third　year；　but　to　allow　the　student　to　enter　on　some　portion　of　them　in　the　first　or　second　year；　if　he　should　prefer　it。

By　such　an　arrangement；　which　would　scarcely　interfere　seriously　with　our　other　examinations；　we　should；　I　think；　be　enabled　effectually　to　keep　pace　with　the　wants　of　society；　and　retaining　fully　our　power　and　our　right　to　direct　the　　studies　of　those　who　are　intended　for　the　church；　as　well　as　of　those　who　aspire　to　the　various　offices　connected　with　our　academical　institutions；　we　should；　at　the　same　time；　open　a　field　of　honourable　ambition　to　multitudes；　who；　from　the　exclusive　nature　of　our　present　studies；　leave　us　with　but　a　very　limited　addition　to　their　stock　of　knowledge。

Much　more　might　be　said　on　a　subject　so　important　to　the　interests　of　the　country；　as　well　as　of　our　university；　but　my　wish　is　merely　to　open　it　for　our　own　consideration　and　discussion。　　We　have　already　done　so　much　for　the　improvement　of　our　system　of　instruction；　that　public　opinion　will　not　reproach　us　for　any　unwillingness　to　alter。　　It　is　our　first　duty　to　be　well　satisfied　that　we　can　improve：　　such　alterations　　ought　only　to　be　the　result　of　a　most　mature　consideration；　and　of　a　free　interchange　of　sentiments　on　the　subject；　in　order　that　we　may　condense　upon　the　question　the　accumulated　judgment　of　many　minds。

It　is　in　some　measure　to　be　attributed　to　the　defects　of　our　system　of　education；　that　scientific　knowledge　scarcely　exists　amongst　the　higher　classes　of　society。　　The　discussions　in　the　Houses　of　Lords　or　of　Commons；　which　arise　on　the　occurrence　of　any　subjects　connected　with　science；　sufficiently　prove　this　fact；　which；　if　I　had　consulted　the　extremely　limited　nature　of　my　　personal　experience；　I　should；　perhaps；　have　doubted。



CHAPTER　II。

OF　THE　INDUCEMENTS　TO　INDIVIDUALS　TO　CULTIVATE　SCIENCE。

Interest　or　inclination　form　the　primary　and　ruling　motives　in　this　matter：　　and　both　these　exert　greater　or　less　proportionate　influence　in　each　of　the　respective　cases　to　be　examined。


SECTION　1。

PROFESSIONAL　IMPULSES。

A　large　portion　of　those　who　are　impelled　by　ambition　or　necessity　to　advance　themselves　in　the　world；　make　choice　of　some　profession　in　which　they　imagine　their　talents　likely　to　be　rewarded　with　success；　and　there　are　peculiar　advantages　resulting　to　each　from　this　classification　of　society　into　professions。　　The　ESPRIT　DE　CORPS　frequently　overpowers　the　jealousy　which　exists　between　individuals；　and　pushes　on　to　advantageous　situations　some　of　the　more　fortunate　of　the　profession；　whilst；　on　the　other　hand；　any　injury　or　insult　offered　to　the　weakest；　is　redressed　or　resented　by　the　whole　body。　　There　are　other　advantages　which　are　perhaps　of　more　importance　to　the　public。　The　numbers　which　compose　the　learned　professions　in　England　are　so　considerable；　that　a　kind　of　public　opinion　is　generated　amongst　them；　which　powerfully　tends　to　repress　conduct　that　is　injurious　either　to　the　profession　or　to　the　public。　　Again；　the　mutual　jealousy　and　rivalry　excited　amongst　the　whole　body　is　so　considerable；　that　although　the　rank　and　estimation　which　an　individual　holds　in　the　profession　may　be　most　unfairly　appreciated；　by　taking　the　opinion　of　his　rival；　yet　few　estimations　will　be　found　generally　more　correct　than　the　opinion　of　a　whole　profession　on　the　merits　of　any　one　of　its　body。　　This　test　is　of　great　value　to　the　public；　and　becomes　the　more　so；　in　proportion　to　the　difficulty　of　the　study　to　which　the　profession　is　devoted。　　It　is　by　availing　themselves　of　it　that　men　of　sense　and　judgment；　who　have　occasion　for　the　services　of　professional　persons；　are；　in　a　great　measure；　guided　in　their　choice。

The　pursuit　of　science　does　not；　in　England；　constitute　a　distinct　profession；　as　it　does　in　many　other　countries。　　It　is　therefore；　on　that　ground　alone；　deprived　of　many　of　the　advantages　which　attach　to　professions。　　One　of　its　greatest　misfortunes　arises　from　this　circumstance；　for　the　subjects　on　which　it　is　conversant　are　so　difficult；　and　require　such　unremitted　devotion　of　time；　that　few　who　have　not　spent　years　in　their　study　can　judge　of　the　relative　knowledge　of　those　who　pursue　them。　　It　follows；　therefore；　that　the　public；　and　even　that　men　of　sound　sense　and　discernment；　can　scarcely　find　means　to　distinguish　between　the　possessors　of　knowledge；　in　the　present　day；　merely　elementary；　and　those　whose　acquirements　are　of　the　highest　order。　　This　remark　applies　with　peculiar　force　to　all　the　more　difficult　applications　of　mathematics；　and　the　fact　is　calculated　to　check　the　energies　of　those　who　only　look　to　reputation　in　England。

As　there　exists　with　us　no　peculiar　class　professedly　devoted　to　science；　it　frequently　happens　that　when　a　situation；　requiring　for　the　proper　fulfilment　of　its　duties　considerable　scientific　attainments；　is　vacant；　it　becomes　necessary　to　select　from　among　amateurs；　or　rather　from　among　persons　whose　chief　attention　has　been　bestowed　on　other　subjects；　and　to　whom　science　has　been　only　an　occasional　pursuit。　　A　certain　quantity　of　scientific　knowledge　is　of　course　possessed　by　individuals　in　many　professions；　and　when　added　to　the　professional　acquirements　of　the　army；　the　navy；　or　to　the　knowledge　of　the　merchant；　is　highly　meritorious：　　but　it　is　obvious　that　this　may　become；　when　separated　from　the　profession；　quite　insignificant　as　the　basis　of　a　scientific　reputation。

To　those　who　have　chosen　the　profession　of　medicine；　a　knowledge　of　chemistry；　and　of　some　branches　of　natural　history；　and；　indeed；　of　several　other　departments　of　science；　affords　useful　assistance。　　Some　of　the　most　valuable　names　which　adorn　the　history　of　English　science　have　been　connected　with　this　profession。

The　causes　which　induce　the　selection　of　the　clerical　profession　are　not　often　connected　with　science；　and　it　is；　perhaps；　a　question　of　considerable　doubt　whether　it　is　desirable　to　hold　out　to　its　members　hopes　of　advancement　from　such　acquirements。　As　a　source　of　recreation；　nothing　can　be　more　fit　to　occupy　the　attention　of　a　divine；　and　our　church　may　boast；　in　the　present　as　in　past　times；　that　the　domain　of　science　has　been　extended　by　some　of　its　brightest　ornaments。

In　England；　the　profession　of　the　law　is　that　which　seems　to　hold　out　the　strongest　attraction　to　talent；　from　the　circumstance；　that　in　it　ability；　coupled　with　exertion；　even　though　unaided　by　patronage；　cannot　fail　of　obtaining　reward。　　It　is　frequently　chosen　as　an　introduction　to　public　life。　　It　also　presents　great　advantages；　from　its　being　a　qualification　for　many　situations　more　or　less　remotely　connected　with　it；　as　well　as　from　the　circumstance　that　several　of　the　highest　officers　of　the　state　must　necessarily　have　sprung　from　its　ranks。

A　powerful　attraction　exists；　therefore；　to　the　promotion　of　a　study　and　of　duties　of　all　others　engrossing　the　time　most　completely；　and　which　is　less　benefited　than　most　others　by　any　acquaintance　with　science。　　This　is　one　amongst　the　causes　why　it　so　very　rarely　happens　that　men　in　public　situations　are　at　all　conversant　even　with　the　commonest　branches　of　scientific　knowledge；　and　why　scarcely　an　instance　can　be　cited　of　such　persons　acquiring　a　reputation　by　any　discoveries　of　their　own。

But；　however　consistent　other　sciences　may　be　with　professional　avocations；　there　is　one　which；　from　its　extreme　difficulty；　and　the　overwhelming　attention　which　it　demands；　can　only　be　pursued　with　success　by　those　whose　leisure　is　undisturbed　by　other　claims。　　To　be　well　acquainted　with　the　present　state　of　mathematics；　is　no　easy　task；　but　to　add　to　the　powers　which　that　science　possesses；　is　likely　to　be　the　lot　of　but　few　English　philosophers。


SECTION　2。

OF　NATIONAL　ENCOURAGEMENT。

The　little　encouragement　which　at　all　previous　periods　has　been　afforded　by　the　English　Government　to　the　authors　of　useful　discoveries；　or　of　new　and　valuable　inventions；　is　justified　on　the　following　grounds：

1。　　The　public；　who　consume　the　new　commodity　or　profit　by　the　new　invention；　are　much　better　judges　of　its　merit　than　the　government　can　be。

2。　　The　reward　which　arises　from　the　sale　of　the　commodity　is　usually　much　larger　than　that　which　government　would　be　justified　in　bestowing；　　and　it　is　exactly　proportioned　to　the　consumption；　that　is；　to　the　want　which　the　public　feel　for　the　new　article。

It　must　be　admitted　that；　as　general　principles；　these　are　correct：　　there　are；　however；　exceptions　which　flow　necessarily　from　the　very　reasoning　from　which　they　were　deduced。　　Without　entering　minutely　into　these　exceptions；　it　will　be　sufficient　to　show　that　all　abstract　truth　is　entirely　excluded　from　reward　under　this　system。　　It　is　only　the　application　of　principles　to　common　life　which　can　be　thus　rewarded。　　A　few　instances　may　perhaps　render　this　position　more　evide