i897. THE GENEALOGY OF THE SCIENCES. 403 



to be made, but it should be made by specialists. It is for those who 

 devote themselves to science, to study the mode of development of 

 each branch of human investigation, because they alone are competent 

 to dissect each science, to enumerate and define them, to trace their 

 histories, and to make a classification. 



The principle of a natural classification here proposed being 

 admitted, one must not fail to meet the question and discuss it 

 properly. The difficulties presented will be overcome by work. 

 History will elucidate relationships, and it will put our knowledge in 

 order. The genealogical tree will appear. The classification of 

 science will be complete. 



Bibliographers must not infer from all this that they have 

 nothing to do while waiting. Far from it, the work they ought to 

 furnish is immense. The complete index of scientific works will 

 demand great efforts before its termination. This catalogue under 

 authors will take many years ; and it is only when the list is complete 

 that it will be worth while to pull it to pieces to make a scientific and 

 systematic bibliography. But for this grand preparatory work, 

 detached indices suffice, granted that the sum of all the indices is 

 complete. There is no need to recommence anew the work already 

 accomplished, it is only necessary to complete what has already been 

 compiled. The first step in this direction will be to make a Biblio- 

 graphy of scientific Bibliographies. The second step will be to hunt 

 up and point out what has not been ransacked. A third will be to do 

 what remains to be done. 



It is this way that I have set to work. By means of detached 

 indices 1 wish to complete the compilations of the Polish biblio- 

 graphers, by adding to their work materials for a bibliography of 

 scientific papers published in our language. I have invited my 

 compatriots to aid me in this work, because it is not given to me to 

 complete the work begun. 



The notes collected up to the present, for a bibliography com- 

 prising the years 1800-1873, that is to say all the period which 

 preceded the foundation of the Cracow Academy, suffice to give us 

 an idea of the progress of the scientific activity of Poland. Progress 

 can be expressed in figures, and these can be rendered graphically. 

 By taking years as abscissae, and the annual amount of scientific 

 publication in Poland as ordinates, we obtain a curve which represents 

 the varying scientific activity of the nation. This curve, which I have 

 constructed, is very interesting though sad. It begins by a rapid rise 

 — the influence of the brothers Sniadecki and of Staszic, three men 

 who did much for their country. In 1805 the curve falls ; then it 

 grows by successive jumps to 1829, when it attains a high maximum. 

 The "Society of Friends of the Sciences of Warsaw" is now the focus 

 of activity. Then comes the year of the revolution : the curve falls 

 abruptly, then breaks ; in 1832 it is at zero. The Warsaw Society, 

 founded by Staszic is no more ; but that of Cracow has survived and 



