Decline of Science in England by Charles Babbage (red white royal blue txt) đź“–
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knowledge of science is a recommendation to public appointments,
and that a man does not make a worse ambassador because he has
directed an observatory, or has added by his discoveries to the
extent of our knowledge of animated nature. Instances even are
not wanting of ministers who have begun their career in the
inquiries of pure analysis. As such examples are perhaps more
frequent than is generally imagined, it may be useful to mention
a few of those men of science who have formerly held, or who now
hold, high official stations in the governments of their
respective countries.
Country. Name. Department of Public Office.
Science.
France .. Marquis Laplace[1] Mathematics President of the
Conservative
Senate.
France .. M.Carnot Mathematics Minister of War.
France .. Count Chaptal[2] Chemistry Minister of the
Interior.
France .. Baron Cuvier[3] Comparative Minister of
Anatomy, Public
History Instruction
Prussia.. Baron Humboldt Oriental Ambassador
Languages to England
Prussia.. Baron Alexander The celebrated Chamberlain to
Humboldt Traveller the King of
Prussia
Modena . Marquis Rangoni[4] Mathematics Minister of
Finance and
of Public
Instruction,
President of
Italian Academy
of Forty.
Tuscany . Count Fossombroni Mathematics Prime Minister
[5] of the Grand Duke
of Tuscany.
Saxony .. M. Lindenau[6] Astronomy Ambassador.
[1] Author of the MECANIQUE COELESTE.
[2] Author of TRAITE DE CHIMIE APPLIQUE AUX ARTS.
[3] Author of LECONS D’ANATOMIE COMPAREE—RECHERCHES SUR OSSEMENS
FOSSILES &c. &c.
[4] Author of MEMORIA SULLE FUNZIONI GENERATRICI, Modena, 1824,
and of various other memoirs on mathematical subjects.
[5] Author of several memoirs on mechanics and hydraulics, in the
Transactions of the Academy of Forty.
[6] Author of TABLES BAROMETRIQUES, Gotha, 1809—TABULAE VENERIS,
NOVAE ET CORRECTAE, Gothae, 1810—INVESTIGATIO NOVA ORBITAE A
MERCURIO CIRCA SOLEM DESCRIPTAE, Gothae, 1813, and of other
works.
M. Lindenau, the Minister from the King of Saxony to the King of
the Netherlands, commenced his career as astronomer at the
observatory of the Grand Duke of Gotha, by whom he was sent as
his representative at the German Diet. On the death of the late
reigning Duke, M. Lindenau was invited to Dresden, and filled the
same situation under the King of Saxony; after which he was
appointed his minister at the court of the King of the
Netherlands. Such occurrences are not to be paralleled in our
own country, at least not in modern times. Newton was, it is
true, more than a century since, appointed Master of the Mint;
but let any person suggest an appointment of a similar kind in
the present day, and he will gather from the smiles of those to
whom he proposes it that the highest knowledge conduces nothing
to success, and that political power is almost the only
recommendation.
SECTION 3.
Of Encouragement from Learned Societies.
There are several circumstances which concur in inducing persons
pursuing science, to unite together, to form societies or
academies. In former times, when philosophical instruments were
more rare, and the art of making experiments was less perfectly
known, it was almost necessary. More recently, whilst numerous
additions are constantly making to science, it has been found
that those who are most capable of extending human knowledge, are
frequently least able to encounter the expense of printing their
investigations. It is therefore convenient, that some means
should be devised for relieving them from this difficulty, and
the volumes of the transactions of academies have accomplished
the desired end.
There is, however, another purpose to which academies contribute.
When they consist of a limited number of persons, eminent for
their knowledge, it becomes an object of ambition to be admitted
on their list. Thus a stimulus is applied to all those who
cultivate science, which urges on their exertions, in order to
acquire the wished-for distinction. It is clear that this envied
position will be valued in proportion to the difficulty of its
attainment, and also to the celebrity of those who enjoy it; and
whenever the standard of scientific knowledge which qualifies for
its ranks is lowered, the value of the distinction itself will be
diminished. If, at any time, a multitude of persons having no
sort of knowledge of science are admitted, it must cease to be
sought after as an object of ambition by men of science, and the
class of persons to whom it will become an object of desire will
be less intellectual.
Let us now compare the numbers composing some of the various
academies of Europe.-The Royal Society of London, the Institute
of France, the Italian Academy of Forty, and the Royal Academy of
Berlin, are amongst the most distinguished.
Name Number of Number
Population. Members of
Country. of its Foreign
Academy. Members
1. England. 22,299,000 685 50
2. France . 32,058,000 76 8 Mem. 100 Corr.
8. Prussia . 12,915,000 38 16
4. Italy . . 12,000,000 40 8
It appears then, that in France, one person out of 427,000 is a
member of the Institute. That in Italy and Prussia, about one out
of 300,000 persons is a member of their Academies. That in
England, every 32,000 inhabitants produces a Fellow of the Royal
Society. Looking merely at these proportions, the estimation of
a seat in the Academy of Berlin, must be more than nine times as
valuable as a similar situation in England; and a member of the
Institute of France will be more than thirteen times more rare in
his country than a Fellow of the Royal Society is in England.
Favourable as this view is to the dignity of such situations in
other countries, their comparative rarity is by no means the most
striking difference in the circumstances of men of science. If we
look at the station in society occupied by the SAVANS of other
countries, in several of them we shall find it high, and their
situations profitable. Perhaps, at the present moment, Prussia
is, of all the countries in Europe, that which bestows the
greatest attention, and most unwearied encouragement on science.
Great as are the merits of many of its philosophers, much of this
support arises from the character of the reigning family, by
whose enlightened policy even the most abstract sciences are
fostered.
The maxim that “knowledge is power,” can be perfectly
comprehended by those only who are themselves well versed in
science; and to the circumstance of the younger branches of the
royal family of Prussia having acquired considerable knowledge in
such subjects, we may attribute the great force with which that
maxim is appreciated.
In France, the situation of its SAVANS is highly respectable, as
well as profitable. If we analyze the list of the Institute, we
shall find few who do not possess titles or decorations; but as
the value of such marks of royal favour must depend, in a great
measure, on their frequency, I shall mention several particulars
which are probably not familiar to the English reader. [This
analysis was made by comparing the list of the Institute, printed
for that body in 1827, with the ALMANACH ROYALE for 1823.]
Number of the Members of the Total Number of each Class
Institute of France who belong of the Legion of Honour.
to the Legion of Honour.
GrandCroix……… 3 80
GrandOfficier ….. 3 160
Commandeur …….. 4 400
Officier ………. 17 2,000
Chevalier ……… 40 Not limited.
Number of Members of the Institute Total Number
decorated with of
the Order of St. Michel. that Order.
Grand Croix ……. 2
100Chevalier ……… 27
Amongst the members of the Institute there
are,—
Dukes ………………. 2
Marquis …………….. 1
Counts ……………… 4
Viscounts……………. 2
Barons ……………… 14
—
23Of these there are
Peers of France ………. 5
We might, on turning over the list of the 685 members of the
Royal Society, find a greater number of peers than there are in
the Institute of France; but a fairer mode of instituting the
comparison, is to inquire how many titled members there are
amongst those who have contributed to its Transactions. In 1827,
there were one hundred and nine members who had contributed to
the Transactions of the Royal Society; amongst these were found:-
Peer …………………… 1
Baronets ……………….. 5
Knights ………………… 5
It should be observed, that five of these titles were the rewards
of members of the medical profession, and one only, that of Sir
H. Davy, could be attributed exclusively to science.
It must not be inferred that the titles of nobility in the French
list, were all of them the rewards of scientific eminence; many
are known to have been such; but it would be quite sufficient for
the argument to mention the names of Lagrange, Laplace,
Berthollet, and Chaptal.
The estimation in which the public hold literary claims in France
and England, was curiously illustrated by an incidental
expression in the translation of the debates in the House of
Lords, on the occasion of His Majesty’s speech at the
commencement of the session of 1830. The Gazette de France
stated, that the address was moved by the Duc de Buccleugh, “CHEF
DE LA MAISON DE WALTER SCOTT.” Had an English editor wished to
particularize that nobleman, he would undoubtedly have employed
the term WEALTHY, or some other of the epithets characteristic of
that quality most esteemed amongst his countrymen.
If we turn, on the other hand, to the emoluments of science in
France, we shall find them far exceed those in our own country.
I regret much that I have mislaid a most interesting memorandum
on this subject, which I made several years since: but I believe
my memory on the point will not be found widely incorrect. A
foreign gentleman, himself possessing no inconsiderable
acquaintance with science, called on me a few years since, to
present a letter of introduction. He had been but a short time
in London; and, in the course of our conversation, it appeared to
me that he had imbibed very inaccurate ideas respecting our
encouragement of science.
Thinking this a good opportunity of instituting a fair comparison
between the emoluments of science in the two countries, I placed
a sheet of paper before him, and requested him to write down the
names of six Englishmen, in his opinion, best known in France for
their scientific reputation. Taking another sheet of paper, I
wrote upon it the names of six Frenchmen, best known in England
for their scientific discoveries. We exchanged these lists, and I
then requested him to place against each name (as far as he knew)
the annual income of the different appointments held by that
person. In the mean time, I performed the same operation on his
list, against some names of which I was obliged to place a ZERO.
The result of the comparison was an average of nearly 1200L. per
annum for the six French SAVANS whom I had named. Of the average
amount of the sums received by the English, I only remember that
it was very much smaller. When we consider what a command over
the necessaries and luxuries of life 1200L. will give in France,
it is underrating it to say it is equal to 2000L. in this
country.
Let us now look at the prospects of a young man at his entrance
into life, who, impelled by an almost irresistible desire to
devote himself to the abstruser sciences, or who, confident in
the energy of youthful power, feels that the career of science is
that in which his mental faculties are most fitted to achieve the
reputation for which he pants. What are his prospects? Can even
the glowing pencil of enthusiasm add colour to the blank before
him? There are no situations in the state; there is no position
in society to which hope can point, to cheer him in his laborious
path. If, indeed,
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