Lor! to think of some of our dinners! Yer mind dat ar great chicken pie I made when we guv de dinner to General Knox? I and Missis, we come pretty near quarrelling about dat ar crustWhat does get into ladies sometimes, I don?t know; but, sometimes, when a body has de heaviest kind o? ?sponsibility on ?em, as ye may say, and is all kinder ?seris? and taken up, dey takes dat ar time to be hangin? round and kinder interferin?! Now, Missis, she wanted me to do dis way, and she wanted me to do dat way; and, finally, I got kinder sarcy, and, says I, ?Now, Missis, do jist look at dem beautiful white hands o? yourn with long fingers, and all a sparkling with rings, like my white lilies when de dew ?s on ?em; and look at my great black stumpin handsNow, don?t ye think dat de Lord must have meant me to make de pie-crust, and you to stay in de parlor? Dar! I was jist so sarcy, Mas?r George ?And what did mother say?? said George ?Say??why, she kinder larfed in her eyes?dem great handsome eyes o? hern; and, says she, ?Well, Aunt Chloe, I think you are about in the right on ?t,? says she; and she went off in de parlorShe oughter cracked me over de head for bein? so sarcy; but dar?s whar ?t is?I can?t do nothin? with ladies in de kitchen!? ?Well, you made out well with that dinner,?I remember everybody said so,? said George ?Didn?t I? And wan?t I behind de dinin?-room door dat bery day? and didn?t I see de General pass his plate three times for some more dat bery pie??and, says he, ?You must have an uncommon cook, Mrs Lor! I was fit to split myself ?And de Gineral, he knows what cookin? is,? said Aunt Chloe, drawing herself up with an air?Bery nice man, de Gineral! He comes of one of de bery fustest families in Old Virginny! He knows what?s what, now, as well as I do?de GineralYe see, there?s pints in all pies, Mas?r George; but tan?t everybody knows what they is, or as orter beBut the Gineral, he knows; I knew by his ?marks he madeYes, he knows what de pints is!? By this time, Master George had arrived at that pass to which even a boy can come (under uncommon circumstances, when he really could not eat another morsel), and, therefore, he was at leisure to notice the pile of woolly heads and glistening eyes which were regarding their operations hungrily from the opposite corner ?Here, you Mose, Pete,? he said, breaking off liberal bits, and throwing it at them; ?you want some, don?t you? Come, Aunt Chloe, bake them some cakes And George and Tom moved to a comfortable seat in the chimney-corner, while Aunte Chloe, after baking a goodly pile of cakes, took her baby on her lap, and began alternately filling its mouth and her own, and distributing to Mose and Pete, who seemed rather to prefer eating theirs as they rolled about on the floor under the table, tickling each other, and occasionally pulling the baby?s toes ?O! go long, will ye?? said the mother, giving now and then a kick, in a kind of general way, under the table, when the movement became too obstreperous?Can?t ye be decent when white folks comes to see ye? Stop dat ar, now, will ye? Better mind yerselves, or I?ll take ye down a button-hole lower, when Mas?r George is gone! What meaning was couched under this terrible threat, it is difficult to say; but certain it is that its awful indistinctness seemed to produce very little impression on the young sinners addressed ?La, now!? said Uncle Tom, ?they are so full of tickle all the while, they can?t behave theirselves Here the boys emerged from under the table, and, with hands and faces well plastered with molasses, began a vigorous kissing of the baby ?Get along wid ye!? said the mother, pushing away their woolly heads?Ye?ll all stick together, and never get clar, if ye do dat fashionGo long to de spring and wash yerselves!? she said, seconding her exhortations by a slap, which resounded very formidably, but which seemed only to knock out so much more laugh from the young ones, as they tumbled precipitately over each other out of doors, where they fairly screamed with merriment ?Did ye ever see such aggravating young uns?? said Aunt Chloe, rather complacently, as, producing an old towel, kept for such emergencies, she poured a little water out of the cracked tea-pot on it, and began rubbing off the molasses from the baby?s face and hands; and, having polished her till she shone, she set her down in Tom?s lap, while she busied herself in clearing away supperThe baby employed the intervals in pulling Tom?s nose, scratching his face, and burying her fat hands in his woolly hair, which last operation seemed to afford her special content ?Aint she a peart young un?? said Tom, holding her from him to take a full-length view; then, getting up, he set her on his broad shoulder, and began capering and dancing with her, while Mas?r George snapped at her with his pocket-handkerchief, and Mose and Pete, now returned again, roared after her like bears, till Aunt Chloe declared that they ?fairly took her head off? with their noiseAs, according to her own statement, this surgical operation was a matter of daily occurrence in the cabin, the declaration no whit abated the merriment, till every one had roared and tumbled and danced themselves down to a state of composure ?Well, now, I hopes you?re done,? said Aunt Chloe, who had been busy in pulling out a rude box of a trundle-bed; ?and now, you Mose and you Pete, get into thar; for we?s goin? to have the meetin? ?O mother, we don?t wanterWe wants to sit up to meetin?,?meetin?s is so curis ?La, Aunt Chloe, shove it under, and let ?em sit up,? said Mas?r George, decisively, giving a push to the rude machine Aunt Chloe, having thus saved appearances, seemed highly delighted to push the thing under, saying, as she did so, ?Well, mebbe ?t will do ?em some good The house now resolved itself into a committee of the whole, to consider the accommodations and arrangements for the meeting ?What we?s to do for cheers, now, I declar I don?t know,? said Aunt ChloeAs the meeting had been held at Uncle Tom?s weekly, for an indefinite length of time, without any more ?cheers,? there seemed some encouragement to hope that a way would be discovered at present ?Old Uncle Peter sung both de legs out of dat oldest cheer, last week,? suggested Mose ?You go long! I?ll boun? you pulled ?em out; some o? your shines,? said Aunt Chloe ?Well, it?ll stand, if it only keeps jam up agin de wall!? said Mose ?Den Uncle Peter mus?n?t sit in it, cause he al?ays hitches when he gets a singingHe hitched pretty nigh across de room, t? other night,? said Pete ?Good Lor! get him in it, then,? said Mose, ?and den he?d begin, ?Come saints?and sinners, hear me tell,? and den down he?d go,??and Mose imitated precisely the nasal tones of the old man, tumbling on the floor, to illustrate the supposed shop catastrophe

Let us suppose twenty copies of a description of some new chemical process to be placed at the disposal of the Royal Society by any public body; it will not surely be contended that they ought all to remain on the Society's shelvesYet, with our present rules, that would be the case If, however, the list of the Members of the Society were read over to the Council, and the names of those gentlemen known to be conversant with chemical science were written down; then, if nineteen copies of the work were given to those nineteen persons on this list, who had contributed most to the Transactions of the Society, they would in all probability be placed in the fittest hands Complete sets of the Philosophical Transactions have now become extremely bulky; it might be well worth our consideration, whether the knowledge of the many valuable papers they contain would not be much spread, by publishing the abstracts of them which have been read at the ordinary meetings of the Society Perhaps two or three volumes octavo, would contain all that has been done in this way during the last century Another circumstance, which would contribute much to the order of the proceedings of the Council, would be to have a distinct list made out of all the statutes and orders of the Council relating to each particular subject Thus the President, by having at one view before him all that had ever been decreed on the question under consideration, would be much better able to prevent inconsistent resolutions, and to save the time of the Council from being wasted by unnecessary discussions ORDER OF MERIT Amongst the various proposals for encouraging science, the institution of an order of merit has been suggested It is somewhat singular, that whilst in most of the other kingdoms of Europe, such orders exist for the purpose of rewarding, by honorary distinctions, the improvers of the arts of life, or successful discoverers in science, nothing of the kind has been established in England [At the great meeting of the philosophers at Berlin, in 1828, of which an account is given in the Appendix; the respect in which Berzelius, Oersted, Gauss, and Humboldt were held in their respective countries was apparent in the orders bestowed on them by the Sovereigns of Sweden, of Denmark, of Hanover, and of Prussia; and there were present many other philosophers, whose decorations sufficiently attested the respect in which science was held in the countries from which they came Our orders of knighthood are favourable only to military distinction It has been urged, as an argument for such institutions, that they are a cheap mode of rewarding science, whilst, on the other hand, it has been objected, that they would diminish the value of such honorary distinctions by making them common The latter objection is of little weight, because the numbers who pursue science are few, and, probably, will long continue so It would also be easily avoided, by restricting the number of the order or of the class, if it were to form a peculiar class of another order Another objection, however, appears to me to possess far greater weight; and, however strong the disposition of the Government might be (if such an order existed) to fill it properly, I do not believe that, in the present state of public opinion respecting science, it could be done, and, in all probability, it would be filled up through the channels of patronage, and by mere jobbers in science Another proposal, of a similar kind, has also been talked of, one which it may appear almost ridiculous to suggest in England, but which would be considered so in no other countryIt is, to ennoble some of the greatest scientific benefactors of their country Not to mention political causes, the ranks of the nobility are constantly recruited from the army, the navy, and the bar; why should not the family of that man, whose name is imperishably connected with the steam-engine, be enrolled amongst the nobility of his country? In utility and profit, not merely to that country, but to the human race, his deeds may proudly claim comparison even with the most splendid of those achieved by classes so rich in glorious recollections An objection, in most cases fatal to such a course, arises from the impolicy of conferring a title, unless a considerable fortune exists to support it; a circumstance very rarely occurring to the philosopher It might in some measure be removed, by creating such titles only for lifeBut here, again, until there existed some knowledge of science amongst the higher classes, and a sound state of public opinion relative to science, the execution of the plan could only be injurious OF THE UNION OF SCIENTIFIC SOCIETIES This idea has occurred to several persons, as likely to lead to considerable advantages to science If the various scientific societies could unite in the occupation of one large building, considerable economy would result from the union By properly arranging their evenings of meeting, one meeting-room only need be required The libraries might either be united, or arranged in adjoining rooms; and such a system would greatly facilitate the inquiries of scientific persons Whether it would be possible to reunite in any way the different societies to the Royal Society, might be a delicate question; but although, on some accounts, desirable, that event is not necessary for the purpose of their having a common residence The Medico-Botanical Society might, perhaps, from sympathy, be the first to which the Royal Society would apply; and by a proper interchange of diplomas, [A thing well understood by the INITIATED, both at HOME and ABROAD the two societies might be inoculated with each other But even here some tact would be required; the Medico-Botanical is a little particular about the purity of its written documents, and lately attributed blame to one of its officers for some slight tampering with them, a degree of illiberality which the Council of the Royal Society are far from imitating The Geological and the Astronomical Societies nourish no feelings of resentment to the parent institution for their early persecution; and though they have no inducement to seek, would scarcely refuse any union which might be generally advantageous to science CONCLUSION In a work on the Decline of Science, at a period when England has so recently lost two of its brightest ornaments, I should hardly be excused if I omitted to devote a few words to the names of Wollaston and of Davy Until the warm feelings of surviving kindred and admiring friends shall be cold as the grave from which remembrance vainly recalls their cherished forms, invested with all the life and energy of recent existence, the volumes of their biography must be sealed Their contemporaries can expect only to read their eloge In habits of intercourse with both those distinguished individuals, sufficiently frequent to mark the curiously different structure of their minds, I was yet not on such terms even with him I most esteemed, as to view his great qualities through that medium which is rarely penetrated by the eyes of long and very intimate friendship Caution and precision were the predominant features of the character of Wollaston, and those who are disposed to reduce the number of principles, would perhaps justly trace the precision which adorned his philosophical, to the extreme caution which pervaded his moral character It may indeed be questioned whether the latter quality will not in all persons of great abilities produce the former Ambition constituted a far larger ingredient in the character of Davy, and with the daring hand of genius he grasped even the remotest conclusions to which a theory led shop him

Haley began a pathetic recital of his peculiar troublesLoker shut up his mouth, and listened to him with gruff and surly attentionMarks, who was anxiously and with much fidgeting compounding a tumbler of punch to his own peculiar taste, occasionally looked up from his employment, and, poking his sharp nose and chin almost into Haley?s face, gave the most earnest heed to the whole narrativeThe conclusion of it appeared to amuse him extremely, for he shook his shoulders and sides in silence, and perked up his thin lips with an air of great internal enjoyment ?So, then, ye?r fairly sewed up, an?t ye?? he said; ?he! he! he! It?s neatly done, too ?This yer young-un business makes lots of trouble in the trade,? said Haley, dolefully ?If we could get a breed of gals that didn?t care, now, for their young uns,? said Marks; ?tell ye, I think ?t would be ?bout the greatest mod?rn improvement I knows on,??and Marks patronized his joke by a quiet introductory sniggle ?Jes so,? said Haley; ?I never couldn?t see into it; young uns is heaps of trouble to ?em; one would think, now, they?d be glad to get clar on ?em; but they arn?tAnd the more trouble a young un is, and the more good for nothing, as a gen?l thing, the tighter they sticks to ?emHaley,? said Marks, ??est pass the hot waterYes, sir, you say ?est what I feel and all?us haveNow, I bought a gal once, when I was in the trade,?a tight, likely wench she was, too, and quite considerable smart,?and she had a young un that was mis?able sickly; it had a crooked back, or something or other; and I jest gin ?t away to a man that thought he?d take his chance raising on ?t, being it didn?t cost nothin?;?never thought, yer know, of the gal?s taking? on about it,?but, Lord, yer oughter seen how she went onWhy, re?lly, she did seem to me to valley the child more ?cause ?t was sickly and cross, and plagued her; and she warn?t making b?lieve, neither,?cried about it, she did, and lopped round, as if she?d lost every friend she hadIt re?lly was droll to think on ?tLord, there ain?t no end to women?s notions ?Wal, jest so with me,? said Haley? summer, down on Red river, I got a gal traded off on me, with a likely lookin? child enough, and his eyes looked as bright as yourn; but, come to look, I found him stone blindFact?he was stone blindWal, ye see, I thought there warn?t no harm in my jest passing him along, and not sayin? nothin?; and I?d got him nicely swapped off for a keg o? whiskey; but come to get him away from the gal, she was jest like a tigerSo ?t was before we started, and I hadn?t got my gang chained up; so what should she do but ups on a cotton-bale, like a cat, ketches a knife from one of the deck hands, and, I tell ye, she made all fly for a minit, till she saw ?t wan?t no use; and she jest turns round, and pitches head first, young un and all, into the river,?went down plump, and never ris ?Bah!? said Tom Loker, who had listened to these stories with ill-repressed disgust,??shif?less, both on ye! my gals don?t cut up no such shines, I tell ye!? ?Indeed! how do you help it?? said Marks, briskly ?Help it? why, I buys a gal, and if she?s got a young un to be sold, I jest walks up and puts my fist to her face, and says, ?Look here, now, if you give me one word out of your head, I?ll smash yer face inI won?t hear one word?not the beginning of a word I says to ?em, ?This yer young un?s mine, and not yourn, and you?ve no kind o? business with itI?m going to sell it, first chance; mind, you don?t cut up none o? yer shines about it, or I?ll make ye wish ye?d never been born I tell ye, they sees it an?t no play, when I gets holdI makes ?em as whist as fishes; and if one on ?em begins and gives a yelp, why,?? and MrLoker brought down his fist with a thump that fully explained the hiatus ?That ar?s what ye may call emphasis,? said Marks, poking Haley in the side, and going into another small giggle?An?t Tom peculiar? he! he! I say, Tom, I s?pect you make ?em understand, for all niggers? heads is woollyThey don?t never have no doubt o? your meaning, TomIf you an?t the devil, Tom, you ?s his twin brother, I?ll say that for ye!? Tom received the compliment with becoming modesty, and began to look as affable as was consistent, as John Bunyan says, ?with his doggish nature Haley, who had been imbibing very freely of the staple of the evening, began to feel a sensible elevation and enlargement of his moral faculties,?a phenomenon not unusual with gentlemen of a serious and reflective turn, under similar circumstances ?Wal, now, Tom,? he said, ?ye re?lly is too bad, as I al?ays have told ye; ye know, Tom, you and I used to talk over these yer matters down in Natchez, and I used to prove to ye that we made full as much, and was as well off for this yer world, by treatin? on ?em well, besides keepin? a better chance for comin? in the kingdom at last, when wust comes to wust, and thar an?t nothing else left to get, ye know ?Boh!? said Tom, ?don?t I know??don?t make me too sick with any yer stuff,?my stomach is a leetle riled now;? and Tom drank half a glass of raw brandy ?I say,? said Haley, and leaning back in his chair and gesturing impressively, ?I?ll say this now, I al?ays meant to drive my trade so as to make money on ?t fust and foremost, as much as any man; but, then, trade an?t everything, and money an?t everything, ?cause we ?s all got soulsI don?t care, now, who hears me say it,?and I think a cussed sight on it,?so I may as well come out with itI b?lieve in religion, and one of these days, when I?ve got matters tight and snug, I calculates to tend to my soul and them ar matters; and so what?s the use of doin? any more wickedness than ?s re?lly necessary??it don?t seem to me it?s ?t all prudent ?Tend to yer soul!? repeated Tom, contemptuously; ?take a bright lookout to find a soul in you,?save yourself any care on that scoreIf the devil sifts you through a hair sieve, he won?t find shop one

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 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 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 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 MrBramah, 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 DrBlack, 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 HDavy,--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 shop us

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 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 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 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 MrBramah, 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 DrBlack, 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 HDavy,--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 shop the vessel