Decline of Science in England [71]
which papers of general interest were read. In the afternoon, through the arrangement of M. de Humboldt and M. Lichtenstein, various rooms were appropriated for different sections of the academy. In one, the chemical philosophers attended to some chemical memoir, whilst the botanists assembled in another room, the physiologists in a third, and the natural philosophers in a fourth. Each attended to the reading of papers connected with their several sciences. Thus every member was at liberty to choose that section in which he felt most interest at the moment, and he had at all times power of access to the others. The evenings were generally spent at some of the SOIREES of the savans, resident at Berlin, whose hospitality and attentions to their learned brethren of other countries were unbounded. During the unoccupied hours of the morning, the collections of natural history, which are rapidly rising into importance, were open to examination; and the various professors and directors who assisted the stranger in his inquiries, left him equally gratified by the knowledge and urbanity of those who so kindly aided him.
A map of Europe was printed, on which those towns only appeared which had sent representatives to this scientific congress; and the numbers sent by different kingdoms appeared by the following table, which was attached to it;-- Russia. . . . . . . . . 1 Austria . . . . . . . . 0 England . . . . . . . . 1 Holland . . . . . . . . 2 Denmark . . . . . . . . 7 France . . . . . . . . 1 Sardinia . . . . . . . 0 Prussia . . . . . . . . 95 Bavaria . . . . . . . . 12 Hanover . . . . . . . . 5 Saxony . . . . . . . . 21 Wirtemburg . . . . . . 2 Sweden . . . . . . . . 13 Naples . . . . . . . . 1 Poland . . . . . . . . 3 German States . . . . . 43 --- 206 Berlin . . . . . . . 172 --- 378
The proportion in which the cultivators of different sciences appeared, was not easy to ascertain, because there were few amongst the more eminent who had not added to more than one branch of human knowledge. The following table, though not professing to be very accurate, will afford, perhaps, a tolerably fair view:--
Geometers . . . . . . . 11 Astronomers . . . . . . 5 Natural Philosophers . 23 -- 39
Mines . . . . . . . . . 5 Mineralogy . . . . . . 16 Geology . . . . . . . . 9 -- 30
Chemistry . . . . . . . . . 18 Geography . . . . . . . . . 8 Anatomy . . . . . . . . . . 12
Zoology . . . . . . . . 14 Natural History . . . . 8 Botany . . . . . . . . . 35 -- 57
Physicians . . . . . . . 175 Amateurs . . . . . . . 9 Various . . . . . . . . 35 --- 381
A medal was struck in commemoration of this meeting, and it was proposed that it should form the first of a series, which should comprise all those persons most celebrated for their scientific discoveries in the past and present age.
APPENDIX, No. 2.
An examination into some charges brought against one of the twenty-four candidates, mentioned in a note as having their names suspended in the meeting-room of the Royal Society, at one time, has caused a printed pamphlet to be circulated amongst the members of the Society. Of the charges themselves I shall offer no opinion, but entreat every member to judge for himself. I shall, however, make one extract, which tends to show how the ranks of the Society are recruited.
EXTRACT FROM A PRINTED LETTER FROM A. F. M. TO J. G. CHILDREN, ESQ. DATED, 22, UPPER BEDFORD-PLACE, MARCH 13, 1830.
"When I wished you to Propose me at the Geological Society, you asked me why you should not propose me also at the Royal Society; and my answer was, that it was an honour to which I did not think I could aspire; that my talents were too insignificant to warrant such pretensions. Many days passed, and still you pressed me on the subject, because your partiality made
A map of Europe was printed, on which those towns only appeared which had sent representatives to this scientific congress; and the numbers sent by different kingdoms appeared by the following table, which was attached to it;-- Russia. . . . . . . . . 1 Austria . . . . . . . . 0 England . . . . . . . . 1 Holland . . . . . . . . 2 Denmark . . . . . . . . 7 France . . . . . . . . 1 Sardinia . . . . . . . 0 Prussia . . . . . . . . 95 Bavaria . . . . . . . . 12 Hanover . . . . . . . . 5 Saxony . . . . . . . . 21 Wirtemburg . . . . . . 2 Sweden . . . . . . . . 13 Naples . . . . . . . . 1 Poland . . . . . . . . 3 German States . . . . . 43 --- 206 Berlin . . . . . . . 172 --- 378
The proportion in which the cultivators of different sciences appeared, was not easy to ascertain, because there were few amongst the more eminent who had not added to more than one branch of human knowledge. The following table, though not professing to be very accurate, will afford, perhaps, a tolerably fair view:--
Geometers . . . . . . . 11 Astronomers . . . . . . 5 Natural Philosophers . 23 -- 39
Mines . . . . . . . . . 5 Mineralogy . . . . . . 16 Geology . . . . . . . . 9 -- 30
Chemistry . . . . . . . . . 18 Geography . . . . . . . . . 8 Anatomy . . . . . . . . . . 12
Zoology . . . . . . . . 14 Natural History . . . . 8 Botany . . . . . . . . . 35 -- 57
Physicians . . . . . . . 175 Amateurs . . . . . . . 9 Various . . . . . . . . 35 --- 381
A medal was struck in commemoration of this meeting, and it was proposed that it should form the first of a series, which should comprise all those persons most celebrated for their scientific discoveries in the past and present age.
APPENDIX, No. 2.
An examination into some charges brought against one of the twenty-four candidates, mentioned in a note as having their names suspended in the meeting-room of the Royal Society, at one time, has caused a printed pamphlet to be circulated amongst the members of the Society. Of the charges themselves I shall offer no opinion, but entreat every member to judge for himself. I shall, however, make one extract, which tends to show how the ranks of the Society are recruited.
EXTRACT FROM A PRINTED LETTER FROM A. F. M. TO J. G. CHILDREN, ESQ. DATED, 22, UPPER BEDFORD-PLACE, MARCH 13, 1830.
"When I wished you to Propose me at the Geological Society, you asked me why you should not propose me also at the Royal Society; and my answer was, that it was an honour to which I did not think I could aspire; that my talents were too insignificant to warrant such pretensions. Many days passed, and still you pressed me on the subject, because your partiality made