decline of science in england-第7章

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。　Astronomical　。。。。。。。。。。。。。。　　25　　4　　0　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　M。A。S。　Zoological　。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。　　26　　5　　0　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　F。Z。S。　Royal　Institution　。。。。。。。。。　　50　　0　　0　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　M。R。I。　Royal　Asiatic。。。。。。。。。。。。。。　　31　10　　0　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　F。R。A。S。　Horticultural　。。。。。。。。。。。。。　　43　　6　　0　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　F。H。S。　Medico…Botanical　。。。。。。。。。。　　21　　0　　0　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　F。M。B。S。

＇*　The　Royal　Society　of　Edinburgh　now　requires；　for　composition　in　lieu　of　annual　contributions；　a　sum　dependent　on　the　value　of　the　life　of　the　member。＇

Thus；　those　who　are　ambitious　of　scientific　distinction；　may；　according　to　their　fancy；　render　their　name　a　kind　of　comet；　carrying　with　it　a　tail　of　upwards　of　forty　letters；　at　the　average　cost　of　10L。　9s。　9d。　per　letter。

Perhaps　the　reader　will　remark；　that　science　cannot　be　declining　in　a　country　which　supports　so　many　institutions　for　its　cultivation。　　It　is　indeed　creditable　to　us；　that　the　greater　part　of　these　societies　are　maintained　by　the　voluntary　contributions　of　their　members。　　But；　unless　the　inquiries　which　have　recently　taken　place　in　some　of　them　should　rectify　the　SYSTEM　OF　MANAGEMENT　by　which　several　have　been　oppressed；　it　is　not　difficult　to　predict　that　their　duration　will　be　short。　　Full　PUBLICITY；　PRINTED　STATEMENTS　OF　ACCOUNTS；　and　occasional　DISCUSSIONS　and　inquiries　at　GENERAL　MEETINGS；　are　the　only　safeguards；　and　a　due　degree　of　VIGILANCE　should　be　exercised　on　those　who　DISCOURAGE　these　principles。　　Of　the　Royal　Society；　I　shall　speak　in　a　succeeding　page；　and　I　regret　to　add；　that　I　might　have　said　more。　My　object　is　to　amend　it；　but；　like　all　deeply…rooted　complaints；　the　operation　which　alone　can　contribute　to　its　cure；　is　necessarily　painful。　Had　the　words　of　remonstrance　or　reproof　found　utterance　through　other　channels；　I　had　gladly　been　silent；　content　to　support　by　my　vote　the　reasonings　of　the　friend　of　science　and　of　the　Society。　　But　this　has　not　been　the　case；　and　after　frustrated　efforts　to　introduce　improvements；　I　shall　now　endeavour；　by　the　force　of　plain；　but　perhaps　painful　truths；　to　direct　public　opinion　in　calling　for　such　a　reform；　as　shall　rescue　the　Royal　Society　from　contempt　in　our　own　country；　from　ridicule　in　others。

On　the　next　five　societies　in　the　list；　I　shall　offer　no　remarks。　Of　the　Geological；　I　shall　say　a　few　words。　　It　possesses　all　the　freshness；　the　vigour；　and　the　ardour　of　youth　in　the　pursuit　of　a　youthful　science；　and　has　succeeded　in　a　most　difficult　experiment；　that　of　having　an　oral　discussion　on　the　subject　of　each　paper　read　at　its　meetings。　　To　say　of　these　discussions；　that　they　are　very　entertaining；　is　the　least　part　of　the　praise　which　is　due　to　them。　　They　are　generally　very　instructive；　and　sometimes　bring　together　isolated　facts　in　the　science　which；　though　insignificant　when　separate；　mutually　illustrate　each　other；　and　ultimately　lead　to　important　conclusions。　　The　continuance　of　these　discussions　evidently　depends　on　the　taste；　the　temper；　and　the　good　sense　of　the　speakers。　　The　things　to　be　avoided　are　chiefly　verbal　criticismspraise　of　each　other　beyond　its　reasonable　limits；　and　contest　for　victory。　　This　latter　is；　perhaps；　the　most　important　of　the　three；　both　for　the　interests　of　the　Society　and　of　truth。　　With　regard　to　the　published　volumes　of　their　Transactions；　it　may　be　remarked；　that　if　members　were　in　the　habit　of　communicating　their　papers　to　the　Society　in　a　more　finished　state；　it　would　be　attended　with　several　advantages；　amongst　others；　with　that　of　lightening　the　heavy　duties　of　the　officers；　which　are　perhaps　more　laborious　in　this　Society　than　in　most　others。　　To　court　publicity　in　their　accounts　and　proceedings；　and　to　endeavour　to　represent　all　the　feelings　of　the　Society　in　the　Council；　and　to　avoid　permanent　Presidents；　is　a　recommendation　not　peculiarly　addressed　to　this　Society；　but　would　contribute　to　the　well…being　of　all。

Of　the　Astronomical　Society；　which；　from　the　nature　of　its　pursuits；　could　scarcely　admit　of　the　discussions　similar　to　those　of　the　Geological；　I　shall　merely　observe；　that　I　know　of　no　secret　which　has　caused　its　great　success；　unless　it　be　attention　to　the　maxims　which　have　just　been　stated。

On　the　Zoological　Society；　which　affords　much　rational　amusement　to　the　public；　a　few　hints　may　at　present　suffice。　　The　largeness　of　its　income　is　a　frightful　consideration。　　It　is　too　tempting　as　the　subject　for　jobs；　and　it　is　too　fluctuating　and　uncertain　in　its　amount；　not　to　render　embarrassment　in　the　affairs　of　the　Society　a　circumstance　likely　to　occur；　without　the　greatest　circumspection。　　It　is　most　probable；　from　the　very　recent　formation　of　this　Institution；　that　its　Officers　and　Council　are　at　present　all　that　its　best　friends　could　wish；　but　it　is　still　right　to　mention；　that　in　such　a　Society；　it　is　essentially　necessary　to　have　men　of　business　on　the　Council；　as　well　as　persons　possessing　extensive　knowledge　of　its　pursuits。　　It　is　more　dangerous　in　such　a　Society　than　in　any　other；　to　pay　compliments；　by　placing　gentlemen　on　the　Council　who　have　not　the　qualifications　which　are　requisite；　a　frequent　change　in　the　members　of　the　Council　is　desirable；　in　order　to　find　out　who　are　the　most　regular　attendants；　and　most　qualified　to　conduct　its　business。　　Publicity　in　its　accounts　and　proceedings　is；　from　the　magnitude　of　its　funds；　more　essential　to　the　Zoological　than　to　any　other　society；　and　it　is　rather　a　fearful　omen；　that　a　check　was　attempted　to　be　given　to　such　inquiries　at　the　last　anniversary　meeting。　　If　it　is　to　be　a　scientific　body；　the　friends　of　science　should　not　for　an　instant　tolerate　such　attempts。

It　frequently　happens；　that　gentlemen　take　an　active　part　in　more　than　one　scientific　society：　in　that　case；　it　may　be　useful　to　derive　instruction　as　to　their　merits；　by　observing　the　success　of　their　measures　in　other　societies。

The　Asiatic　Society　has；　amongst　other　benefits；　caused　many　valuable　works　to　be　translated；　which　could　not　have　otherwise　been　published。

The　Horticultural　Society　has　been　ridden　almost　to　death；　and　is　now　rousing　itself；　but　its　constitution　seems　to　have　been　somewhat　impaired。　　There　are　hopes　of　its　purgation；　and　ultimate　restoration；　notwithstanding　a　debt　of　19；000L。；　which　the　Committee　of　Inquiry　have　ascertained　to　exist。　　This；　after　all；　will　not　be　without　its　advantage　to　science；　if　it　puts　a　stop　to　HOUSE…LISTS；　NAMED　BY　ONE　OR　TWO　PERSONS；　to　making　COMPLIMENTARY　councillors；and　to　auditing　the　accounts　WITHOUT　EXAMINING　EVERY　ITEM；　or　to　omitting　even　that　form　altogether。

The　Medico…Botanical　Society　suddenly　claimed　the　attention　of　the　public；　its　pretensions　were　greatits　assurance　unbounded。　It　speedily　became　distinguished；　not　by　its　publications　or　discoveries；　but　by　the　number　of　princes　it　enrolled　in　its　list。　　It　is　needless　now　to　expose　the　extent　of　its　short…lived　quackery；　but　the　evil　deeds　of　that　institution　will　long　remain　in　the　impression　they　have　contributed　to　confirm　throughout　Europe；　of　the　character　of　our　scientific　establishments。　　It　would　be　at　once　a　judicious　and　a　dignified　course；　if　those　lovers　of　science；　who　have　been　so　grievously　deceived　in　this　Society；　were　to　enrol　upon　the　latest　page　of　its　history　its　highest　claim　to　public　approbation；　and　by　signing　its　dissolution；　offer　the　only　atonement　in　their　power　to　the　insulted　science　of　their　country。　　As　with　a　singular　inversion　of　principle；　the　society　contrived　to　render　EXPULSION*　the　highest　HONOUR　it　could　confer；　so　it　remains　for　it　to　exemplify；　in　suicide；　the　sublimest　virtue　of　which　it　is　capable。　＇*　They　expelled　from　amongst　them　a　gentleman；　of　whom　it　is　but　slight　praise　to　say；　that　he　is　the　first　and　most　philosophical　botanist　of　our　own　country；　and　who　is　admired　abroad　as　he　is　respected　at　home。　　The　circumstance　which　surprised　the　world　was　not　his　exit　from；　but　his　previous　entrance　into　that　Society。＇



CHAPTER　IV。

STATE　OF　THE　ROYAL　SOCIETY　IN　PARTICULAR。

As　the　venerable　first　parent　of　English；　and　I　might　perhaps　say；　of　European　scientific　societies；　as　a　body　in　the　welfare　of　which；　in　the　opinions　of　many；　the　interests　of　British　science　are　materially　involved；　I　may　be　permitted　to　feel　anxiously；　and　to　speak　more　in　detail。


SECTION　1。

MODE　OF　BECOMING　A　FELLOW　OF　THE　ROYAL　SOCIETY。

I　have　no　intention　of　stating　what　ought　to　be　the　qualifications　of　a　Fellow　of　the　Royal　Society；　but；　for　years；　the　practical　mode　of　arriving　at　that　honour；　has　been　as　follows：

A。　B。　gets　any　three　Fellows　to　sign　a　certificate；　stating　that　he　（A。　B。）　is　desirous　of　becoming　a　member；　and　likely　to　be　a　useful　and　valuable　one。　This　is　handed　in　to　the　Secretary；　and　suspended　in　the　meeting…room。　　At　the　end　of　ten　weeks；　if　A。　B。　has　the　good　fortune　to　be　perfectly　unknown　by　any　literary　or　scientific　achievement；　however　small；　he　is　quite　sure　of　being　elected　as　a　matter　of　course。　　If；　on　the　other　hand；　he　has　unfortunately　written　on　any　subject　connected　with　science；　or　is　supposed　to　be　acquainted　with　any　branch　of　it；　the　members　begin　to　inquire　what　he　has　done　to　deserve　the　honour；　and；　unless　he　has　powerful　friends；　he　has　a　fair　chance　of　being　black…balled。　＇I　understand　that　certificates　are　now　read　at　the　Council；　previously　to　their　being　hung　up　in　the　meeting…room；　but　I　am　not　aware　that　this　has　in　the　slightest　degree　diminished　their　number；　which　was；　at　the　time　of　writing　this　note；　TWENTY…FOUR。＇

In　fourteen　years'　experience；　the　few　whom　I　have　seen　rejected；　have　all　been　known　persons；　but　even　in　such　cases　a　hope　remains；　perseverance　will　do　much；　and　a　gentleman　who　values　so　highly　the　distinction　of　admission　to　the　Royal　Society；　may　try　again；　and　even　after　being　twice　black…balled；　if　he　will　a　third　time　condescend　to　express　his　desire　to　become　a　member；　he　may　perhaps　succeed；　by　the　aid　of　a　hard　canvass。　In　such　circumstances；　the　odds　are　much　in　favour　of　the　candidate　possessing　great　scientific　claims；　and　the　only　objection　that　could　then　reasonably　be　suggested；　would　arise　from　his　estimating　rather　too　highly　a　distinction　which　had　become　insignificant　from　its　unlimited　extension。

It　should　be　observed；　that　all　members　contribute　equally；　and　that　the　sum　now　required　is　fifty　pounds。　　It　used；　until　lately；　to　be　ten　pounds　on　entrance；　and　four　pounds　annually。　The　amount　of　this　subscription　is　so　large；　that　it　is　calculated　to　prevent　many　men　of　real　science　from　entering　the　Society；　and　is　a　very　severe　tax　on　those　who　do　so；　for　very　few　indeed　of　the　cultivators　of　science　rank　amongst　the　wealthy　classes。　Several　times；　whilst　I　have　been　consulting　books　or　papers　at　Somerset　House；　persons　have　called　to　ask　the　Assistant…　secretary　the　mode　of　becoming　a　member　of　the　Royal　Society。　　I　should　conjecture；　from　some　of　these　applications；　that　it　is　not　very　unusual　for　gentlemen　in　the　country　to　order　their　agents　in　London　to　take　measures　for　putting　them　up　at　the　Royal　Society。


SECTION　2。

OF　THE　PRESIDENCY　AND　VICE…PRESIDENCIES。

Why　Mr。　Davies　Gilbert　became　President　of　the　Royal　Society　I　cannot　precisely　say。　　Let　him　who　penned；　and　those　who　suppo