Page:Passages from the Life of a Philosopher.djvu/88

72 In October, 1827, the expense incurred had amounted to 3,4752l.; and Mr. Babbage having suffered severe domestic affliction, and being in a very ill state of health, was recommended by his medical advisers to travel on the Continent. He left, however, sufficient drawings to enable the work to be continued, and gave an order to his own banker to advance 1,000l. during his absence: he also received, from time to time, drawings and inquiries relating to the mechanism, and returned instructions to the engineer who was constructing it.

As it now appeared probable that the expense would much exceed what Mr. Babbage had originally anticipated, he thought it desirable to inform the Government of that fact, and to procure a further grant. As a preliminary step, he wrote from Italy to his brother-in-law, Mr. Wolryche Whitmore, to request that he would see Lord Goderich upon the subject of the interview in July, 1823; but it is probable that he did not sufficiently inform Mr. Whitmore of all the circumstances of the case.

Mr. Whitmore, having had some conversation with Lord Goderich on the subject, addressed a letter, dated on the 29th of February, 1828, to Mr. Babbage, who was then at Rome, stating that

"That interview was unsatisfactory; that Lord Goderich did not like to admit that there was any understanding, at the time the 1,500l. was advanced, that more would be given by Government."

On Mr. Babbage's return to England, towards the end of