--"I think of as many matters as he; but I give
Heaven thanks, and make no boast of them." Their accuracy frequently
degenerates into affectation and parade. We have now before us a paper
in the _Annales de Chimie_, containing some chemical researches, in
which, though the difference of each experiment in a small number, put
together for average, amounts to several units, the weights are given
to the fifth place of decimals. England, which we should place next,
is by no means exempt from these trappings of science. Many English
scientific papers seem written as if with the resolute purpose of
filling a certain number of pages, and many of their writers seem to
think a _paper per annum_, good or bad, necessary to indicate their
philosophical existence. They write, not because they have made a
discovery, but because their period of hybernation has expired. Still,
in England, there is a strong vein of original thought. Competition,
if it lead to puffing and quackery, yet stimulates the perceptions;
and, in England, competition has done its worst and its best; in
original chemical discovery, England has latterly been unrivalled.

Next to England we should place Sweden and Denmark--for their
population they have done much, and done it well; then Italy--in Italy
science is well organized, and the rulers of her petty states seem to
feel a proper emulation in promoting scientific merit--in which
laudable rivalry the Archduke of Tuscany deserves honourable mention;
America and Russia come next--the former state is zealous, ready at
practical application, and promises much for the future, but as yet
has not done enough in original research to entitle her to be placed
in the van. Russia at present possesses few, if any, native
philosophers--her discoverers and discoveries are all imported; but
the emperor's zeal and _patronage_ (a word which we scarcely like to
apply to science) is doing much to organize her forces, and the
mercenary troops may impart vigour, and induce discipline into the
national body. In this short enumeration, we have considered each
country, not according to the number of its very eminent men; for
though far from denying the right which each undoubtedly possesses to
shine by the reflected lustre of her stars, yet in looking, as it
were, from an external point, it is more just to regard the general
character of each people than to classify them according as they may
happen to be the birthplace of those