vi Introduction. 



societies will succeed the translations, and facts of minor 

 importance, but still of interest, will be given in the notices 

 at the end of each number. 



One subject remains to be mentioned, viz. the Analyses 

 of New Publications. In executing this part of our duty, 

 one sole principle will be our guide — strict impartiality and 

 justice — no private friendships, no partial leanings shall 

 induce us to praise a bad work, nor any invidious motives 

 to withhold our commendations from a good one. We may 

 err in our judgment, but it shall always be the result of a 

 conscientious conviction of its truth. 



Some of our readers may perhaps think that the subject of 

 the paper which stands at the head of our first number is not 

 strictly connected with the object of our journal. If there be 

 any such, we trust they will nevertheless thank us for laying 

 it before them, from the pleasure we are certain they must de- 

 rive from its perusal. A most difficult subject is treated by 

 Mr. French, we think, with singular skill and ingenuity ; but 

 even this consideration would not have induced us to give it to 

 the public, had it not appeared to us to be strictly consistent 

 with the plan of our work. Its object is to develope the 

 operations of mind, if we may so express ourselves, in the 

 brute creation, from the habits and actions of several of its 

 members. It necessarily enters into the detail of facts 

 purely Zoological and in the highest degree interesting — and 

 if the main question be metaphysical, it is from natural his- 

 tory alone that its ingenious author derives his arguments in 

 discussing it. 



With respect to one of the translations in the present 

 number, it will be seen that the inferences deduced by M. 

 Odier, have been considerably invalidated, if not overthrown 

 by one of our coadjutors. We have thought it right, how- 

 ever, to present the entire memoir to our readers, notwith- 

 standing our conviction that the author's conclusions are 

 erroneous. Next to establishing a truth, it is important to 

 correct error, and it would not be fair to the learned 



