prevented him by blocking his path with an error of its own. But in any case it is to be remembered, that for the last four years of unanswered application Mr. Babbage stood upon the right ground; and also that the rumoured _refusal_ to proceed never was made. The public, we think, has a right to explanation from the Government, and to further explanation from Mr. Babbage. Sir R. Peel turned it off with a joke in the House of Commons. He recommended that the machine should be set to calculate the time at which it would be of use. He ought rather to have advised that it should be set to compute the number of applications which might remain unanswered before a Minister, if the subject were not one which might affect his parliamentary power. If it had done this, it would have shown that its usefulness had commenced. [49] By the words “_no plan_,” the reviewer here evidently refers to the _mechanical and mathematical plan_, on the fitness of which the Royal Society had already, as he observes, made a report. Mr. Weld, on the other hand, refers to the _mutual relations_ of the two parties, Mr. Babbage and the Chancellor of the Exchequer, relative to the expenses and even to the ownership of the _Difference-Engine_, as appears by the footnote (34) at page 256. C. B. [50] It is scarcely possible that this _supposed_ wish could have influenced Sir Robert Peel, because he had before him a written disavowal of it from Mr. Babbage himself. C. B. [51] The two following will sufficiently explain them:—On the 23d December, 1834, Mr. Babbage addressed a statement to the Duke of Wellington, pointing out the only plans which, in his opinion, could be pursued for terminating the questions relative to the _Difference Engine_, namely: _First_, the Government might desire Mr. Babbage to continue the construction of the Engine in the hands of the person who has hitherto been employed in making it. _Secondly_, the Government might wish to know whether any other person could be substituted for the engineer at present employed to continue the construction; a course which was possible. _Thirdly_, the Government might (although he did not presume that they would) substitute some person to superintend the completion of the Engine instead of Mr. Babbage himself. _Fourthly_, the Government might be disposed to give up the undertaking entirely. A letter to Sir R. Peel from Mr. Babbage, dated 7th April, 1835, and enclosing the above plans, concludes thus:— “The delays and difficulties of years will, I hope, excuse my expressing a wish that I may at length be relieved from them by an early decision of the Government on the question.” C. B. _From the_ ATHENÆUM _of_ SATURDAY, DEC. _16th, 1848_.