SKETCH OF PAUL BERT. 407 



la Sensitive" (Researclies on tlie Movement of tlie Sensitive- 

 Plant) ; " Legons sur la Physiologie comparde de la Respira- 

 tion " (Lessons on the Comparative Physiology of Respiration), 

 1869 ; " Recherches expdrimentales sur I'lnfluence que les Modi- 

 fications exercent sur les Ph^nomenes de la Vie " (Experimental 

 Researches on the Influence which Modifications exercise on the 

 Phenomena of Life), 1874 ; " La Science exp^rimentale " (Experi- 

 mental Science), 1878 ; " La Morale des J^suites " (The Morals of 

 the Jesuits), 1880 ; "Legons, Discours et Conferences" (Lessons, 

 Talks, and Lectures), 1880 ; " Legons de Zoologie profess^es a la 

 Sorbonne " (Lessons in Zoology taught at the Sorhonne), 1881 ; " La 

 premiere Ann^e d'Enseignement scientifique : Sciences naturelles 

 et physiques " (The First Year of Scientific Knowledge : Natural 

 and Physical Sciences), 1882 ; " L'Instruction civique a I'Ecole " 

 (Civic Instruction at School), 1882 ; and " Discours parliamen- 

 taires" (Parliamentary Addresses), 1882. For many years he 

 furnished a ^cieTiii^c feuilleton to M. Gamhetta's journal, " La Rd- 

 publique Frangaise," The " First Year of Scientific Knowledge " 

 has been translated into English, and is published by D. Appleton 

 & Co. It is intended for children beginning to study science, and 

 has probably no suj^erior in suitableness for that purpose. It 

 has proved an extraordinarily popular book in France, where 

 it is said to have made the author's name known to a vast num- 

 ber of persons who knew nothing of his eminence either in sci- 

 ence or in politics. 



Professor Archibald Geikie names four obvious sources of information re- 

 garding former conditions of the land : the testimony of historical documents ; 

 the names of places ; tradition ; and geological evidence. The historical testi- 

 mony is not always direct, but is often very strong by incidental reference ; and 

 of this character are the allusions in poems and romances. Numerous local 

 names which have now lost significance or seem inappropriate, are found upon 

 analysis to have been descriptive, at the time, of tlie places on which they were 

 conferred. So tradition, when well sifted, often throws light upon mooted points. 

 Geological evidence is the best, the most accurate, the most lasting, and goes far- 

 thest back. 



Some excellent maxims are given in a book on " The Ministry of Fine Art to 

 the Happiness of Life," by Mr. Gambler Parry. On " The Purpose and Practice 

 of Fine Art," the author says that "fine art comes of the union of love and labor, 

 for without love it has no suflScient motive, and without labor it can have no 

 success." The first step in a student's life, he adds, " is to divest his mind of all 

 idea that genius can dispense with labor." A glaring fault of much of the work 

 of the day is rebuked in the precept, " Of all the vices which pollute the source 

 and thwart the progress of fine art, the striving after novelty is among the worst." 

 Impatience and fickleness of purpose are condemned in "the genius most precious 

 to mankind is continuous." 



