decline of science in england-第4章

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common　life　which　can　be　thus　rewarded。　　A　few　instances　may　perhaps　render　this　position　more　evident。　　The　principle　of　the　hydrostatic　paradox　was　known　as　a　speculative　truth　in　the　time　of　Stevinus；　＇About　the　year　1600＇　and　its　application　to　raising　heavy　weights　has　long　been　stated　in　elementary　treatises　on　natural　philosophy；　as　well　as　constantly　exhibited　in　lectures。　Yet；　it　may　fairly　be　regarded　as　a　mere　abstract　principle；　until　the　late　Mr。　Bramah；　by　substituting　a　pump　instead　of　the　smaller　column；　converted　it　into　a　most　valuable　and　powerful　engine。The　principle　of　the　convertibility　of　the　centres　of　oscillation　and　suspension　in　the　pendulum；　discovered　by　Huygens　more　than　a　century　and　a　half　ago；　remained；　until　within　these　few　years；　a　sterile；　though　most　elegant　proposition；　when；　after　being　hinted　at　by　Prony；　and　distinctly　pointed　out　by　Bonenberger；　it　was　employed　by　Captain　Kater　as　the　foundation　of　a　most　convenient　practical　method　of　determining　the　length　of　the　pendulum。The　interval　which　separated　the　discovery；　by　Dr。　Black；　of　latent　heat；　from　the　beautiful　and　successful　application　of　it　to　the　steam　engine；　was　comparatively　short；　but　it　required　the　efforts　of　two　minds；　and　both　were　of　the　highest　order。The　influence　of　electricity　in　producing　decompositions；　although　of　inestimable　value　as　an　instrument　of　discovery　in　chemical　inquiries；　can　hardly　be　said　to　have　been　applied　to　the　practical　purposes　of　life；　until　the　same　powerful　genius　which　detected　the　principle；　applied　it；　by　a　singular　felicity　of　reasoning；　to　arrest　the　corrosion　of　the　copper…sheathing　of　vessels。　　That　admirably　connected　chain　of　reasoning；　the　truth　of　which　is　confirmed　by　its　very　failure　as　a　remedy；　will　probably　at　some　future　day　supply；　by　its　successful　application；　a　new　proof　of　the　position　we　are　endeavouring　to　establish。

＇I　am　authorised　in　stating；　that　this　was　regarded　by　Laplace　as　the　greatest　of　Sir　Humphry　Davy's　discoveries。　　It　did　not　fail　in　producing　the　effect　foreseen　by　Sir　H。　Davy；the　preventing　the　corrosion　of　the　copper；　but　it　failed　as　a　cure　of　the　evil；　by　producing　one　of　an　OPPOSITE　character；　either　by　preserving　too　perfectly　from　decay　the　surface　of　the　copper；　or　by　rendering　it　negative；　it　allowed　marine　animals　and　vegetables　to　accumulate　on　its　surface；　and　thus　impede　the　progress　of　the　vessel。＇

Other　instances　might；　if　necessary；　be　adduced；　to　show　that　long　intervals　frequently　elapse　between　the　discovery　of　new　principles　in　science　and　their　practical　application：　　nor　ought　this　at　all　to　surprise　us。　　Those　intellectual　qualifications；　which　give　birth　to　new　principles　or　to　new　methods；　are　of　quite　a　different　order　from　those　which　are　necessary　for　their　practical　application。

At　the　time　of　the　discovery　of　the　beautiful　theorem　of　Huygens；　it　required　in　its　author　not　merely　a　complete　knowledge　of　the　mathematical　science　of　his　age；　but　a　genius　to　enlarge　its　boundaries　by　new　creations　of　his　own。　　Such　talents　are　not　always　united　with　a　quick　perception　of　the　details；　and　of　the　practical　applications　of　the　principles　they　have　developed；　nor　is　it　for　the　interest　of　mankind　that　minds　of　this　high　order　should　lavish　their　powers　on　subjects　unsuited　to　their　grasp。

In　mathematical　science；　more　than　in　all　others；　it　happens　that　truths　which　are　at　one　period　the　most　abstract；　and　apparently　the　most　remote　from　all　useful　application；　become　in　the　next　age　the　bases　of　profound　physical　inquiries；　and　in　the　succeeding　one；　perhaps；　by　proper　simplification　and　reduction　to　tables；　furnish　their　ready　and　daily　aid　to　the　artist　and　the　sailor。

It　may　also　happen　that　at　the　time　of　the　discovery　of　such　principles；　the　mechanical　arts　may　be　too　imperfect　to　render　their　application　likely　to　be　attended　with　success。　　Such　was　the　case　with　the　principle　of　the　hydrostatic　paradox；　and　it　was　not；　I　believe；　until　the　expiration　of　Mr。　Bramah's　patent；　that　the　press　which　bears　his　name　received　that　mechanical　perfection　in　its　execution；　which　has　deservedly　brought　it　into　such　general　use。

On　the　other　hand；　for　one　person　who　is　blessed　with　the　power　of　invention；　many　will　always　be　found　who　have　the　capacity　of　applying　principles；　and　much　of　the　merit　ascribed　to　these　applications　will　always　depend　on　the　care　and　labour　bestowed　in　the　practical　detail。

If；　therefore；　it　is　important　to　the　country　that　abstract　principles　should　be　applied　to　practical　use；　it　is　clear　that　it　is　also　important　that　encouragement　should　be　held　out　to　the　few　who　are　capable　of　adding　to　the　number　of　those　truths　on　which　such　applications　are　founded。　　Unless　there　exist　peculiar　institutions　for　the　support　of　such　inquirers；　or　unless　the　Government　directly　interfere；　the　contriver　of　a　thaumatrope　may　derive　profit　from　his　ingenuity；　whilst　he　who　unravels　the　laws　of　light　and　vision；　on　which　multitudes　of　phenomena　depend；　shall　descend　unrewarded　to　the　tomb。

Perhaps　it　may　be　urged；　that　sufficient　encouragement　is　already　afforded　to　abstract　science　in　our　different　universities；　by　the　professorships　established　at　them。　　It　is　not　however　in　the　power　of　such　institutions　to　create；　they　may　foster　and　aid　the　development　of　genius；　and；　when　rightly　applied；　such　stations　ought　to　be　its　fair　and　honourable　rewards。　　In　many　instances　their　emolument　is　small；　and　when　otherwise；　the　lectures　which　are　required　from　the　professor　are　not　perhaps　in　all　cases　the　best　mode　of　employing　the　energies　of　those　who　are　capable　of　inventing。

I　cannot　resist　the　opportunity　of　supporting　these　opinions　by　the　authority　of　one　of　the　greatest　philosophers　of　a　past　age；　and　of　expressing　my　acknowledgments　to　the　author　of　a　most　interesting　piece　of　scientific　biography。　　In　the　correspondence　which　terminated　in　the　return　of　Galileo　to　a　professorship　in　his　native　country；　he　remarks；　〃But；　because　my　private　lectures　and　domestic　pupils　are　a　great　hinderance　and　interruption　of　my　studies；　I　wish　to　live　entirely　exempt　from　the　former；　and　in　great　measure　from　the　latter。〃LIFE　OF　GALILEO；　p。18。　　And；　in　another　letter　to　Kepler；　he　speaks　with　gratitude　of　Cosmo；　the　Grand　Duke　of　Tuscany；　who　〃has　now　invited　me　to　attach　myself　to　him　with　the　annual　salary　of　1000　florins；　and　with　the　title　of　Philosopher　and　principal　Mathematician　to　his　Highness；　without　the　duties　of　any　office　to　perform；　but　with　most　complete　leisure；　so　that　I　can　complete　my　treatise　on　Mechanics；　&c。〃p。31。〃　＇Life　of　Galileo；　published　by　the　Society　for　the　Diffusion　of　Useful　Knowledge。＇

Surely；　if　knowledge　is　valuable；　it　can　never　be　good　policy　in　a　country　far　wealthier　than　Tuscany；　to　allow　a　genius　like　Mr。　Dalton's；　to　be　employed　in　the　drudgery　of　elementary　instruction。　　＇I　utter　these　sentiments　from　no　feelings　of　private　friendship　to　that　estimable　philosopher；　to　whom　it　is　my　regret　to　be　almost　unknown；　and　whose　modest　and　retiring　merit；　I　may；　perhaps；　have　the　misfortune　to　offend　by　these　remarks。　　But　Mr。　Dalton　was　of　no　party；　had　he　ever　moved　in　that　vortex　which　has　brought　discredit；　and　almost　ruin；　on　the　Royal　Society　of　England；had　he　taken　part　with　those　who　vote　to　each　other　medals；　and；　affecting　to　be　tired　of　the　fatigues　of　office；　make　to　each　other　requisitions　to　retain　places　they　would　be　most　reluctant　to　quit；　his　great　and　splendid　discovery　would　long　since　have　been　represented　to　government。　　Expectant　mediocrity　would　have　urged　on　his　claims　to　remuneration；　and　those　who　covered　their　selfish　purposes　with　the　cloak　of　science；　would　have　hastened　to　shelter　themselves　in　the　mantle　of　his　glory。But　the　philosopher　may　find　consolation　for　the　tardy　approbation　of　that　Society；　in　the　applause　of　Europe。　　If　he　was　insulted　by　their　medal；　he　escaped　the　pain　of　seeing　his　name　connected　with　their　proceedings。＇　　Where　would　have　been　the　military　renown　of　England；　if；　with　an　equally　improvident　waste　of　mental　power；　its　institutions　had　forced　the　Duke　of　Wellington　to　employ　his　life　in　drilling　recruits；　instead　of　planning　campaigns？

If　we　look　at　the　fact；　we　shall　find　that　the　great　inventions　of　the　age　are　not；　with　us　at　least；　always　produced　in　universities。　　The　doctrines　of　〃definite　proportions；〃　and　of　the　〃chemical　agency　of　electricity；〃　principles　of　a　high　order；　which　have　immortalized　the　names　of　their　discoverers；　were　not　produced　by　the　meditations　of　the　cloister：　　nor　is　it　in　the　least　a　reproach　to　those　valuable　institutions　to　mention　truths　like　these。　　Fortunate　circumstances　must　concur；　even　to　the　greatest；　to　render　them　eminently　successful。　　It　is　not　permitted　to　all　to　be　born；　like　Archimedes；　when　a　science　was　to　be　created；　nor；　like　Newton；　to　find　the　system　of　the　world　〃without　form　and　void；〃　and；　by　disclosing　gravitation；　to　shed　throughout　that　system　the　same　irresistible　radiance　as　that　with　which　the　Almighty　Creator　had　illumined　its　material　substance。　　It　can　happen　to　but　few　philosophers；　and　but　at　distant　intervals；　to　snatch　a　science；　like　Dalton；　from　the　chaos　of　indefinite　combination；　and　binding　it　in　the　chains　of　number；　to　exalt　it　to　rank　amongst　the　exact。　　Triumphs　like　these　are　necessarily　〃few　and　far　between；〃　nor　can　it　be　expected　that　that　portion　of　encouragement；　which　a　country　may　think　fit　to　bestow　on　science；　should　be　adapted　to　meet　such　instances。　　Too　extraordinary　to　be　frequent；　they　must　be　left；　if　they　are　to　be　encouraged　at　all；　to　some　direct　interference　of　the　government。

The　dangers　to　be　apprehended　from　such　a　specific　interference；　would　arise　from　one；　or　several；　of　the　following　circumstances：That　class　of　society；　from　whom　the　government　is　selected；　might　not　possess　sufficient　knowledge　either　to　judge　themselves；　or　know　upon　whose　judgment　to　rely。　　Or　the　number　of　persons　devoting　themselves　to　science；　might　not　be　sufficiently　large　to　have　due　weight　in　the　expression　of　public　opinion。　　Or；　supposing　this　class　to　be　large；　it　might　not　enjoy；　in　the　estimation　of　the　world；　a　sufficiently　high　character　for　independence。　　Should　these　causes　concur　in　any　country；　it　might　become　highly　injurious　to　commit　the　encouragement　of　science　to　any　department　of　the　government。　This　reasoning　does　not　appear　to　have　escaped　the　penetration　of　those　who　advised　the　abolition　of　the　late　Board　of　Longitude。

The　question　whether　it　is　good　policy　in　the　government　of　a　country　to　encourage　science；　is　one　of　which　those　who　cultivate　it　are　not　perhaps　the　most　unbiassed　judges。　　In　England；　those　who　have　hitherto　pursued　science；　have　in　general　no　very　reasonable　grounds　of　complaint；　they　knew；　or　should　have　known；　that　there　was　no　demand　for　it；　that　it　led　to　little　honour；　and　to　less　profit。

That　blame　has　been　attributed　to　the　government　for　not　fostering　the　science　of　the　country　is　certain；　and；　as　far　as　regards　past　administrations；　is；　to　a　great　extent；　just；　with　respect　to　the　present　ministers；　whose　strength　essentially　depends　on　public　opinion；　it　is　not　necessary　that　they　should　p