THE SCIENTIFIC SPIRIT IN FRANCE. 



143 



not then exist. 1 Science was not a subject of general, still 

 less of popular, instruction. It was an occupation of the 

 few, who, privileged by fortune or talent, or gifted with 

 inordinate perseverance, forced their way into the salons 

 of society 2 or the rooms of the Academy. The first public 

 course of natural history was opened in Paris by Valmont 

 de Bomare in 1760. 3 Science still stood far out of the reach 

 of the practical man or the poor man ; it had not yet 

 become an element of education or an instrument for 

 industry. It was a fashionable pursuit, a luxury of the 

 great, a key that occasionally opened the door of the 

 palace ; but it was not a thing of immediate use, except 

 in adding glory and renown to its royal protectors, or 

 to the rare genius which could make new discoveries. 

 Almost the only application made of it was in naviga- 

 tion, and in the construction of instruments connected 

 therewith. This essentially literary not national 

 popularisation of science had also its great dangers. 

 No ideas lend themselves to such easy, but likewise to the merely 



literary pop- 



such shallow, generalisations as those of science. Once ularisa ti n - 

 let out of the hand which uses them, in the strict and 

 cautious manner by which alone they lead to valuable 

 results, they are apt to work mischief. Because the tool 

 is so sharp, the object to which it is applied seems to be 



34. 

 Dangers of 



1 Cuvier, in his 'Rapport,' &c., p. 

 361, mentions the elementary works 

 published by some of the medical 

 professors at the beginning of the 

 century, but says also that ' En 

 Allemagne, surtout, ou 1'usage des 

 livres elementaires est plus commun 

 que chez nous, il n'est presque 

 aucune universit^, dont les profes- 

 seurs n'en aient public" d'excel- 

 lens." 



2 See Maury, p. 182, &c. Also Cu- 

 vier, 'Rapport,' vol. ii. p. 427 : "En 

 France la reputation des ouvrages 

 depend, pour 1'ordinaire, des femmes 

 et de quelques gens de lettres, qui 

 croient pouvoir juger des sciences 

 positives, parcequ'ils ont combine" 

 quelques idees ge"ne>ales de me"ta- 

 physique." 



3 See Maury, L'ancienne Acad- 

 e"mie des Sciences,' p. 283. 



