Defence of certain French Naturalists. 107 



right ; that, if he will consult all the recent works of the 

 leading zoologists of this country, he will find that the theory 

 of absolute divisions, for which he so warmly contends, has 

 long been exploded; and that, as it regards ourselves, we 

 have no particular wish of acquiring glory by giving new 

 names to the genera of land shells, after they have been named 

 by Lamarck, and renamed by M. de Ferussac. For the rest, 

 we quarrel not with him, or any one, for adhering to the old 

 axioms of the Linnean or any other school. Our modes of 

 studying nature, it is true, are diametrically opposite ; but 

 there is not the least occasion for animosity or bad feeling. 

 We say this with unfeigned sincerity ; and of this sincerity 

 we shall now give M. de Ferussac a proof. Of the high 

 terms of praise in which we have always spoken of his labours 

 he already knows, from the pages of our Zoological Illus- 

 trations, and this at a time when he was depreciating our 

 own : but he may possibly not knonso that very many of the 

 original figures of the animals of land shells, sent to him by 

 our mutual friend Dr. Leach, were copied from our own 

 drawings, expressly sent for the purpose of aiding M. de 

 Ferussac in his great work. Some of these have actually 

 been engraved to be published in it, but we have failed in 

 discovering where the obligation is acknowledged. We say 

 not this in anger or reproach, but as a proof of the desire we 

 always had, and still have, of being the friend, rather than 

 the enemy, of one who has done such real good to science. 

 It is now for M. de Ferussac to accept, or to reject, the olive 

 branch we proffer him. 



In thus endeavouring to neutralise the effect of these charges 

 and aspersions against the naturalists of France, and thereby 

 promote reciprocal feelings of forbearance and good will, if 

 not of amity and friendship, we trust our efforts will be 

 seconded by the true lovers of science of both nations. Let 

 us hope, also, that they may awaken a better tone of feeling 

 in our scientific discussions, and in our philosophic institu- 

 tions. It is a singular fact, that at no period of history have 

 the two greatest nations of the world been so closely drawn 

 together by the " silken cords " of respect and friendship ; 

 at no period have kings and warriors striven more earnestly to 

 preserve peace ; yet at no period have domestic dissensions, 

 political and scientific, been more prevalent. These unkindly 

 feelings, unfortunately for our national reputation, have been 

 caught, and have rapidly spread, in the republic of science ; 

 and, if the contagion be not timely cheqked, it will undermine 

 all that is to give energy to individual exertion, and all that is to 

 make us respected in the eyes of foreigners. Tha^ the science 



