A very able answer to Mr. BABBAGE'S pamphlet on the
Decline of Science has been written by a foreigner, and is now published by Mr. FAuADAY, who has kept it by him, he tells us, four months, —very unnecessarily we should think, for there never could have been a doubt of the propriety of sending so well-informed and judi- cious a paper to the press.
We never thought Mr. BABBA.GE'S pamphlet any other than the result of a fit of the spleen. He was entitled to honours at Cam- bridge in the commencement of his scientific life, and was disap- pointed in them, and we do not think things have had their right colour with him since. Science is so fir from being on the de- cline in this country, that Britain is looked up to by the whole of Europe, without even excepting France, as one of the most favour- able soils for its production. Perhaps at this moment we have not to boast of any one or two giants in science who overtop all the rest of the world ; but, nevertheless, a more ingenious body of scientifie men, or a greater quantity of scientific discovery, is not anywhere in activity than in England. It is singular that British science should be attacked by an Englishman and defended by a foreigner. The reason is, however, . pretty evident. Mr. BABBAGE, who some time ago began the dis- . cussion, lives among rivals; his eye rests on petty meannesses; he hears of the failure of friends, he feels the jealousies of his enemies, and thus looks upon the wrong side of the tapestry. A foreigner, and moreover a German, conversant with English, is placed in a convenient point of view for estimating the effect of the whole movement of the science of England: he is not too near for his eye to be filled with one object, and that perhaps a disagreeable ale; neither can he be jostled or rudely treated by those strug- gling forward, for he is not among them; Littleness is concealed by distance, and greatness is exhibited in its just proportions. As for pecuniary reward, which Mr. BABBAGE complains is want- ing, he ought to know that that is, under all Governments, con- fined to the aristocracy of the land, with very rare exceptions. His instances under NAPOLEON are very unfortunate: it is true NAPOLEON made scientific men Counts and Marquises, and gave them wealth, but they had previously given themselves power *while the country was in a state of revolution. They sold their power to the First Consul and •the Emperor, and not their science. What was the fate of the scientific men who opposed him, or who had no influence to sell, or who would not sell it?
Where scientific men have the rewards and honours which Mr. BABBAGE seems to covet for his countrymen, he ought to have known, without being told by this enlightened foreigner, that such
rewards-.are held at will, at the pleasure of a government; and thereby, if these rewards are valued by the holders or are valuable in: the eyes of public opinion, such men are no better than adherents and political slaves. It may be true that the pursuit of science is not the road to wealth, though the examples of such men as DAvY and WOLLASTON seem against it—but what of that? it is the pur- suit of science and not of wealth : it may as well be said the pursuit of wealth is not the way to attain science. A man must have, it is true, sufficient to exist upon; but the sooner ideas of luxury and the progress of science are separated, the better. It never was the case, and never will be, that philosophy is the road to riches ; and the more strenuously a contempt and an indifference to wealth is inculcated in phi- losophers, the more likely are they to become eminent and use- ful in their respective branches of study. It is only when the minds of men are raised above a devotion to the sensualities of life, that they ever become truly distinguished and glorious in phi- losophy. The fact is, that our young philosophers have a leaven of Mam- Mon in them ; they are touched by the vanities and inanities of the world : they will be gentlemen and men of fashion as well as philosophers : they must indulge in expensive society, and figure among men who have no other calling than the world. All this requires wealth; and they are angry to find that, after very consider- able success in their scientific pursuits, they are not so rewarded that they may leave or pursue them as they please, and in the mean time flutter on the surface of society, and partake in the vanity of a scientific ovation through clubs, and dinners, and parties. Time will mend all this: either a Reform will call scientific men to office, or scientific men will learn that they must not worship both God and Mammon.
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