the Progress of Natural History ifi this Countri/. 17 



are entitled to our gratitude, as they preserved many things 

 that were valuable and interesting, which would probably have 

 been lost or destroyed, had they been scattered over the 

 country in the possession of private individuals. I by no 

 means wish that such collections should not be preserved, 

 but the present advanced state of science requires, nay, impe- 

 riously demands, something more ; and it is much to be 

 regretted, that in London we have no well arranged public 

 collections of objects in the different departments of natural 

 history, that can materially assist the researches of the 

 student.* 



The second cause which has greatly impeded the study of 

 natural history, namely, the expensive publications on the 

 subject, might be easily remedied, if the public taste would 

 give encouragement to books in a cheaper form. I am 

 no enemy to splendid editions, and superb plates: noble- 

 men and opulent individuals do well to encourage the arts as 

 well as the sciences; but I see no reason why persons of 

 moderate fortune should not be able to procure books on 

 natural history, at a reasonable price, in this country, as well 

 as in France, In the latter country one of the most perfect 

 systems of zoology, Le Regne Animal, distribue d^apres son 

 Organisation } ov. The Animal Kingdom, arranged according to 

 its Organisation, by Baron Cuvier, may be purchased for about 

 twenty shillings. This work, which contains a most lumi- 

 nous arrangement of the whole animal kingdom separated 

 into four grand divisions, is intended as a text-book for the 

 student, and is replete with more scientific information, than 

 any work in our own language published at five times the 

 price. I have long regretted that Cuvier's system, and also 

 his interesting discoveries respecting fossil bones, should be 

 so little known to the English reader; and, therefore, it is 

 my intention to supply this information by a series of essays 

 in succeeding Numbers of this Magazine. The classification 

 of Cuvier is founded on the organisation of animals, and 

 what he denominates " the conditions of existence ; or, 

 the immutable laws prescribed to living beings by their 

 Creator." By making his system more generally known, 

 I am persuaded that I shall render an acceptable service 

 to the English reader. B. 



March^ 1828. 



* By public collections, I mean those to which the public have access. 

 There are valuable collections belonging to particular societies and indi- 

 viduals, of which you will probably give some account in your Magazine. 



Vol. I.— -No. 1. c 



