Decline of Science in England by Charles Babbage (ebook reader with android os .TXT) 📕

indistinct manner in which the object for which the medals are

awarded is sometimes specified. A medal is given to A. B. “for

his various papers.”

There are cases, few perhaps in number, where such a reason may

be admissible; but it is impossible not to perceive the weakness

of those who judge these matters legibly written in the phrase,

“and for his various other communications,” which comes in as the

frequent tail-piece to these awards. With a diffidence in their

own powers, which might be more admired if it were more

frequently expressed, the Council think to escape through this

loop-hole, should the propriety of their judgment on the main

point be called in question. Thus, even the discovery which made

chemistry a science, has attached to it in their award this

feeble appendage.

It has been objected to the Royal Society, that their medals have

been too much confined to a certain set. When the Royal medals

were added to their patronage, the past distribution of the

Copley medals, furnished grounds to some of the journals to

predict the future possessors of the new ones. I shall,

doubtless, be told that the Council of the Royal Society are

persons of such high feeling, that it is impossible to suppose

their decision could be influenced by any personal motives. As I

may not have had sufficient opportunities, during the short time

I was a member of that Council, to enable me to form a fair

estimate, I shall avail myself of the judgment of one, from whom

no one will be inclined to appeal, who knew it long and

intimately, and who expressed his opinion deliberately and

solemnly.

The late Dr. Wollaston attached, as a condition to be observed in

the distribution of the interest of his munificent gift of

2,000L. to the Royal Society, the following clause:—“And I

hereby empower the said President, Council, and Fellows, after my

decease, in furtherance of the above declared objects of the

trust, to apply the said dividends to aid or reward any

individual or individuals of any country, SAVING ONLY THAT NO

PERSON BEING A MEMBER OF THE COUNCIL FOR THE TIME BEING, SHALL

RECEIVE OR PARTAKE OF SUCH REWARD.”

Another improvement which might be suggested, is, that it is

generally inexpedient to vote a medal until the paper which

contains the discovery is at least read to the Society; perhaps

even it might not be quite unreasonable to wish that it should

have been printed, and consequently have been perused by some few

of those who have to decide on its merits. These trifles have

not always been attended to; and even so lately as the last year,

they escaped the notice of the President and his Council. The

Society was, however, indebted to the good sense of Mr. Faraday,

who declined the proffered medal; and thus relieved us from one

additional charge of precipitancy. [When this hasty adjudication

was thus put a stop to, one of the members of the Council

inquired, whether, as a Copley medal must by the will he annually

given, some other person might not be found deserving of it. To

which the Secretary replied, “We do not intend to give any this

year.” All further discussion was thus silenced.]

Perhaps, also, as the Council are on some occasions apt to be

oblivious, it might be convenient that the President should read,

previously to the award of any medals or to the decision of any

other important subjects, the statutes relating to them. He

might perhaps propitiate their attention to them, by stating, HOW

MUCH IT IMPORTETH TO THE CONSISTENCY OF THE COUNCIL TO BE

ACQUAINTED WITH THE LAWS ON WHICH THEY ARE ABOUT TO DECIDE.

If those who have been conversant with the internal management of

the Council, would communicate their information, something

curious might perhaps be learned respecting a few of these

medals. Concerning those of which I have had good means of

information, I shall merely state— of three of them—that

whatever may have been the official reasons for their award, I

had ample reasons to convince me of the following being the true

causes:—

First.—A medal was given to A, at a peculiarly inappropriate

time—BECAUSE HE HAD NOT HAD ONE BEFORE.

Second.—Subsequently a medal was given to B, in order TO DESTROY

THE IMPRESSION WHICH THE AWARD OF THE MEDAL TO A HAD MADE ON THE

PUBLIC THE PRECEDING YEAR.

Third.—A medal was given to C, “BECAUSE WE THINK HE HAS BEEN ILL

USED.”

I will now enter on an examination of one of their awards, which

was peculiarly injudicious. I allude to that concerning the mode

of rendering platina malleable. Respecting, as I did, the

illustrious philosopher who invented the art, and who has left

many other claims to the gratitude of mankind, I esteem it no

disrespect to his memory to place that subject in its proper

light.

An invention in science or in art, may justly be considered as

possessing the rights of property in the highest degree. The

lands we inherit from our fathers, were cultivated ere they were

born, and yielded produce before they were cultivated. The

products of genius are the actual creations of the individual;

and, after yielding profit or honour to him, they remain the

permanent endowments of the human race. If the institutions of

our country, and the opinions of society, support us fully in the

absolute disposal of our fields, of which we can, by the laws of

nature, be only the transitory possessors, who shall justly

restrict our discretion in the disposal of those richer

possessions, the products of intellectual exertion?

Two courses are open to those individuals who are thus endowed

with Nature’s wealth. They may lock up in their own bosoms the

mysteries they have penetrated, and by applying their knowledge

to the production of some substance in demand in commerce, thus

minister to the wants or comforts of their species, whilst they

reap in pecuniary profit the legitimate reward of their

exertions.

It is open to them, on the other hand, to disclose the secret

they have torn from Nature, and by allowing mankind to

participate with them, to claim at once that splendid reputation

which is rarely refused to the inventors of valuable discoveries

in the arts of life.

The two courses are rarely compatible, only indeed when the

discoverer, having published his process, enters into equal

competition with other manufacturers.

If an individual adopt the first of these courses, and retaining

his secret, it perish with him, the world have no right to

complain. During his life, they profited by his knowledge, and

are better off than if the philosopher had not existed.

Monopolies, under the name of patents, have been devised to

assist and reward those who have chosen the line of pecuniary

profit. Honorary rewards and medals have been the feeble

expressions of the sentiments of mankind towards those who have

preferred the other course. But these have been, and should

always be, kept completely distinct. [It is a condition with the

Society of Arts, never to give a reward to any thing for which a

patent has been, or is to be, taken out.]

Let us now consider the case of platina. A new process was

discovered of rendering it malleable, and the mere circumstance

of so large a quantity having been sent into the market, was a

positive benefit, of no ordinary magnitude, to many of the arts.

The discoverer of this valuable process selected that course for

which no reasonable man could blame him; and from some

circumstance, or perhaps from accident, he preserved no written

record of the manipulations. Had Providence appointed for that

disorder, which terminated too fatally, a more rapid career, all

the knowledge he had acquired from the long attention he had

devoted to the subject, would have been lost to mankind. The

hand of a friend recorded the directions of the expiring

philosopher, whose anxiety to render useful even his unfinished

speculations, proves that the previous omission was most probably

accidental.

Under such circumstances it was published to the world in the

Transactions of the Royal Society. But what could induce that

body to bestow on it their medal? To talk of adding lustre to

the name of Wollaston by their medal, is to talk idly. They must

have done it then as an example, as a stimulus to urge future

inquiries in the career of discovery. But did they wish

discoveries to be so endangered?

The discoveries of Professor Mitscherlick, of Berlin, had long

been considered, by a few members of the Society, as having

strong claims on one of its honorary rewards; but difficulties

had arisen, from so few members of the Council having any

knowledge of discoveries which had long been familiar to Europe.

The Council were just on the point of doing justice to the merits

of the Prussian philosopher, when it was suggested that its medal

should be given to Dr. Wollaston, and they immediately altered

their intention, and thus enabled themselves to reserve their

medal to Professor Mitscherlick for another year; at which

period, for aught they knew, his discoveries might possess the

additional merit of having been made prior to the limit allowed

by their regulations. That medal was, in fact, voted at a

meeting, at which no one member present was at all conversant

with the subjects rewarded. I shall, however, say no more on

this subject. They erred from feeling, an error so very rare

with them, that it might be pardoned even for its singularity.

I will, however, add one word to those whose censures have been

unjustly dealt, to those who have reproached the philosopher for

receiving pecuniary advantage from his inventions.

Amongst the many and varied contrivances for the demands of

science, or the arts of life, with which we were enriched by the

genius of Wollaston, was it too much to allow him to retain,

during his fleeting career, one out of the multitude, to furnish

that: pecuniary supply, without which, the man will want food

for his body, and the philosopher be destitute of tools for his

inventions? Had he been, as, from the rank he held in science,

he certainly would have been in other kingdoms, rich in the

honours his country could bestow, and receiving from her a reward

in some measure commensurate with his deserts,—then, indeed,

there might have been reason for that reproach; but I am

convinced that, in such circumstances, the philosopher would have

balanced, with no “niggard” hand, the claims of his country, and

would have given to it, unreservedly, the produce of his powerful

mind.

SECTION 9.

OF THE FAIRCHILD LECTURE.

Mr. Fairchild left by will twenty-five pounds to the Royal

Society. This was increased by several subscriptions, and 100L.

3 per cent. South Sea Annuities was purchased, the interest of

which was to be devoted annually to pay for a sermon to be

preached at St.Leonard’s, Shoreditch.

Few members of the Society, perhaps, are aware, either of the

bequest or of its annual payment. I shall merely observe, that

for five years, from 1800 to 1804, it was regularly given to

Mr. Ascough; and that for twenty-six years past, it has been as

regularly given to the Rev. Mr. Ellis.

The annual amount is too trifling to stimulate to any

extraordinary exertions; yet, small as it is, it might, if

properly applied, be productive of much advantage to religion,

and of great honour to the Society. For this purpose, it would

be desirable that it should be delivered at some church or

chapel, more likely to he attended by members of the Royal

Society. Notice of it should be given at the place of worship

appointed, at least a week previous to its