ters; what can induce the President of the Royal Society, and the Professors of the Universities (to each of whom his Majesty has been most graciously pleased to order payment of £15[1] per day for every
- ↑ This will be understood of each Board to which they were summoned: not each day they were from home, either going, or returning. The liberality of this provision was commendable, but the policy of it may much be questioned; for we should observe that the Professors from Cam and Isis were supposed to have been long influenced by an idea, that, the reward once paid, their services would be no longer required—no trifling consideration withal: for, if they were not bad economists, they could pocket a few guineas by this jaunt to town; visit their clerical and lay friends inclusively; perambulate the reposi-
the learned Gentleman and his Associates (in the Chapter of accidents) impervious to a sonorous blast from the Goddess whose foot (in the magnificent thought of Virgil) rests on earth, while her head pervades the heavens! or is it indispensable that the approach to procure an adequate monumental site should be made like that of Jupiter to Danae in a golden shower?—Were a proper situation assigned for such a testimonial, in either of those national mausoleums, St. Peter's Abbey, and St. Paul's Cathedral, we dare say, there is no person concerned in horological mechanics—not a clock or watchmaker in these dominions, nor probably in Europe, but would subscribe according to his ability as a token of respect to "the father of modern chronometry."
to his exertions.—Along with these distinguished aspirants, a host of ill-informed projectors appears (including, till now unknown, a certain northern Peer) insomuch that till John Harrison established the fact, the discovery of the Longitude became a by word to denote any thing much desired, but impracticable of attainment. Hogarth has not forgotten to introduce it in the lunatic scene of the Rake's Progress; and the Rambler in his dream of the Garden of Hope, finishes a period with this current allusion.
