Part 2 (1/2)
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 Fos...o...b..oni Mathematics Prime Minister (5) of the Grand Duke of Tuscany.
Saxony.. M. Lindenau(6) Astronomy Amba.s.sador.
(1) Author of the MECANIQUE COELESTE.
(2) Author of TRAITE DE CHIMIE APPLIQUE AUX ARTS.
(3) Author of LECONS D'ANATOMIE COMPAREE--RECHERCHES SUR OSs.e.m.e.nS 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 circ.u.mstances 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 mult.i.tude 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 cla.s.s 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 Inst.i.tute 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 Inst.i.tute. 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 Inst.i.tute 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 circ.u.mstances 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 circ.u.mstance 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 a.n.a.lyze the list of the Inst.i.tute, we shall find few who do not possess t.i.tles 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 a.n.a.lysis was made by comparing the list of the Inst.i.tute, printed for that body in 1827, with the ALMANACH ROYALE for 1823.]
Number of the Members of the Total Number of each Cla.s.s Inst.i.tute of France who belong of the Legion of Honour.
to the Legion of Honour.