Royal Academy of Sciences of Paris. 4-55 



science, philosophy and poetry, went hand in hand. The people were 

 taught every thing j Natural History was diffused j and they have 

 handed down for our use a stock of names which no other language 

 can equal. 



It may perhaps remain doubtful whether the old English names are 

 not too much forgotten to be revived, and whether it is not now, in 

 many cases, as easy to establish the foreign names. Still there would 

 remain much that might be familiarized to the English scholar by the 

 use of his native language. 



Among living languages, ours is admirably adapted for the teaching 

 of sciences in which new terms are requisite. Foreign words are 

 easily engrafted or transplanted into it. It allows of a great variety 

 of compounds and diminutives, and those terminating either as sub- 

 stantives, adjectives, verbs or participles, both active and passive. It 

 has been asserted by competent judges, that it is in these respects as 

 accommodating as the Latin, and not much less so than the Greek. 

 To the honour of the late President of the Linnsean Society, he did 

 much to familiarize the recondite language of botany to the English 

 student. The probability is, that naturalists will very soon be forced 

 to adopt their native language as a vehicle of communication. Our po- 

 pular schools, universities, gardens and publications all tend this way. 



Such an occurrence need not prevent the learned of all nations 

 from still holding intercourse, and it would throw open to multitudes 

 a boundless field of experiment and observation. Wherever a learned 

 language has been in the possession of a privileged class, history and 

 experience show that the excluded party is left in ignorance ; and the 

 establishment of a " universal character," so much desired by some 

 of the philosophers of the 17th century, instead of advancing know- 

 ledge, as they imagined, would most materially have retarded it, and 

 have kept the people in darkness. 



A paper was also read, entitled, Description of a new species of 

 Phalangista, by Thomas Bell, Esq. F.R. & L.S. 



Ord. Marsupiata. Genus Phalangista. 



Ph. gliriformis, Dorso rufo-cinereo, gula fulva, macula post aurem 

 utrinque alba : auribus nudis. Hab. Australasia. 



ROYAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF PARIS. 



June 2. — The Academy received an essay On the duodecimal cal- 

 culus, by M. Gautier de Nuits. — A memoir On the developments of 

 plane curves, by MM. Dubois Aime, and Bigeon. — A new notice re- 

 specting the yellow fever. By M. Leymerie. — A note by M. Julia de 

 Fontenelle, in reply to the claims which had been made on the sub- 

 ject of his memoir On human combustions. — A letter from M. Bau- 

 delocque, inclosing some discoveries in the art of Midwifery. — After- 

 wards, the reports of the several Committees respecting Montyon's 

 prizes were read. — The sitting terminated with hearing part of a 

 memoir by M. Villerme On the mean height of the inhabitants of 

 France. 



June 9. — The following manuscripts were presented. A letter from 

 MM. Parkes and Company, with some specimens of salt from their 



establishment. 



