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First octavo edition. In 1830 Babbage was profoundly dissatisfied with the government's failure to sufficiently support the sciences and irritated by what he perceived as the myriad shortcomings of those existing societies, most particularly the Royal Society. In the Decline, by far the most polemical of his works, Babbage portrayed English science as moribund, English scientists as amateur and corrupt, and English scientific culture and reform as lamentably inferior to those of other countries. "To the observer with advantage of hindsight, the charge that science was in decline seems ridiculous: Lyell's Principles of Geology had begun to appear, Darwin was setting off on the Beagle, and Faraday was beginning his revolutionary researches in electricity and magnetism. But [the Decline], with its attacks on the Royal Society and the English universities, and its demand for more honours and sinecures for scientists, caused a sensation" (Knight, p. 144). Though many found the vehemence of Babbage's views objectionable, his sentiments were widely shared, and this "broadside of outrage and insult... gave a decisive boost to the movement to reform organized science" (ODNB). The British Association for the Advancement of Science was founded the next year, a number of reforms within the Royal Society also followed suit, and a university curriculum including both theoretical and applied science was established. The Decline was published simultaneously in an octavo First octavo edition. In 1830 Babbage was profoundly dissatisfied with the government's failure to sufficiently support the sciences and irritated by what he perceived as the myriad shortcomings of those existing societies, most particularly the Royal Society. In the Decline, by far the most polemical of his works, Babbage portrayed English science as moribund, English scientists as amateur and corrupt, and English scientific culture and reform as lamentably inferior to those of other countries. "To the observer with advantage of hindsight, the charge that science was in decline seems ridiculous: Lyell's Principles of Geology had begun to appear, Darwin was setting off on the Beagle, and Faraday was beginning his revolutionary researches in electricity and magnetism. But [the Decline], with its attacks on the Royal Society and the English universities, and its demand for more honours and sinecures for scientists, caused a sensation" (Knight, p. 144). Though many found the vehemence of Babbage's views objectionable, his sentiments were widely shared, and this "broadside of outrage and insult... gave a decisive boost to the movement to reform organized science" (ODNB). The British Association for the Advancement of Science was founded the next year, a number of reforms within the Royal Society also followed suit, and a university curriculum including both theoretical and applied science was established. The Decline was published simultaneously in an octavo edition of 228 pages (as here) and a quarto edition of 120 pages. According to a note tipped into the Honeyman copy of the quarto edition, only "a few [copies were] printed in quarto, for the use of those gentlemen who may wish to bind up the work with the Philosophical Transactions for the year 1830", a nicely satirical touch in a work that was primarily a diatribe against the Royal Society. READ MORE Octavo (213 x 128 mm). Near contemporary half calf and ribbed cloth boards, expertly rebacked, red morocco label, red edges. With numerous tables to text. Neatly rebacked, corners lightly rubbed, new endpapers; a very good copy. Hook & Norman 90; Origins of Cyberspace 38; Van Sinderen 1980, no. 39. David M. Knight, Natural Science Books in English 1600-1900, 1972.

Charles Babbage’s "On the Alleged Decline of Science in England" is a sharp critique of the state of scientific institutions in early 19th-century England. Babbage, known for his contributions to mathematics and computing, focuses on what he sees as the failings of the Royal Society, one of England’s most prestigious scientific bodies. He argues that the Society had become inefficient and mismanaged, prioritizing prestige and social connections over genuine scientific contributions. According to Babbage, this neglect of proper scientific inquiry and leadership had led to a decline in England’s scientific standing compared to other European nations. One of the book’s main strengths is its candid and detailed analysis of how the structure of scientific institutions can impact progress. Babbage proposes reforms, including stricter criteria for membership in scientific bodies, improved recognition for scientists, and better funding mechanisms to support research. His call for a more meritocratic approach resonates with later efforts to professionalize science. However, the book can come across as somewhat polemical, and some contemporaries saw it as an attack on specific individuals within the Royal Society rather than a purely objective critique. Despite this, Babbage’s work helped spark important conversations about how science was organized and supported in England, contributing to future reforms.