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Lectures on the Ilisiorij of the Xalural Seienees. IJy Baron 

 Cuviiiii *. 



L'EC'i'UKEs FiKST AND SiicOND. — Earliest Hislorjf of the 'Human 

 Species. 



After a statement of the motives which had induced him to 

 undertake the task of pubhcly relating the history of the natu- 

 ral sciences, M. Cuvier spoke of the utility of this department 

 of study. He then rapidly traced the progress of the sciences, 

 from the most remote period to the present time, distinguishing 

 three principal epochs : the reliffioiis epoch, the pliUosophieal 

 epochs and, lastly, the epoch of the division of labour, which 

 may be also named the scientific epoch, properh/ so called. 



The first of these epochs comprehends the whole time during 

 which science remained shut up in the temples, and was culti- 

 vated by the priests only, who concealed it from the vulgar, or 

 only presented it to them under emblematical forms. 



The second epoch commences at the time when the sciences, 

 whose rudiments had been imported from Egypt, began, after a 

 long interval, to be developed in Greece. From the moment 6t' 

 their revival, they assumed a new direction, separated themselves 

 entirely from religion, and were no longer cultivated by the; 

 priests, but by philosophers, who communicated the fruit of 

 their researches without reserve, and without disguise. The 

 early Greek philosophers embraced the whole range of human 

 knowledge, and each of them was at once a metaphysician, a 

 moralist, a geometer, a naturalist, and a natural philosopher. 



The third epoch was marked by the separation that was ef- 

 fected among the different departments of science. Each branch 

 was cultivated by men who devoted themselves exclusively to 

 it, directed the whole force of their minds towards it, and by 

 this judicious distiibution of labour, obtained a success unknown 

 to their predecessors. 



* Of these highly interesting lectures, at present delivering in Paris, we 

 shall in this and the succeeding Numbers give such a view as will interest 

 our readers. The reports wo now publish arc held by some of our friends 

 now attendinc; these lectures to bo correct. .^—Etht. 



