ioo HISTORY OF SCIENCE. 



self is truly remarkable for the variety and extent of his acquirements, 

 as well as for his noble courage and heroic perseverance, and his name 

 has a place in the history of science, as well as in the histories of art, 

 of industry, and of literature. All his writings are in French, and 

 they are unsurpassed for simplicity, vigour, and richness of style. It is 

 curious to observe that these are the very same qualities which, in his 

 ceramic productions, most delight the eye of the artistic connoisseur. 

 Lamartine considers Palissy one of the greatest of French prose writers, 

 rivalling Montaigne in flowing freedom of style, Rousseau in eloquence, 

 and Bossuet in power of imagination. 



" I was lately," says Palissy, " one day remarking the colour of my 

 beard, which caused me to think of the little time I had left to finish 

 my course, and that made me consider the lilies and the corn in the 

 fields, and various kinds of plants, which change their colours from 

 green to white when they are ready to yield their fruits. Some trees 

 also hasten to bloom when they find their natural and vegetative power 

 ceasing. Such considerations caused me to remember that it is written 

 that we should take care not to abuse the gifts of God, and hide our 

 talent in the earth ; also, that it is writte'h that the fool hiding his folly 



is better than the wise man who conceals his wisdom 



For the space of forty years I did dig up the ground to find the things 

 hidden in the bowels of the earth, and, by the grace of God, this means 

 has made known to me secrets hitherto concealed from men, even 

 from the most learned, as may be learnt by my writings. I well 

 know that some will deride, saying that it is impossible that a man 

 ignorant of the Latin language can understand natural things, and that 

 they will say that it is great presumption in me to write in opposition 

 to the opinions of so many famous and venerable philosophers who 

 have discoursed on natural effects, and filled all the earth with their 

 wisdom. I know also that others will judge by the outside, saying 

 that I am only a poor artisan. In spite of all these considerations I 

 have not failed to pursue my undertaking, and in order to stop all 

 calumnies, I have arranged a cabinet, in which I have put the curious 

 and extraordinary things that I have taken from the bowels of the 

 earth, and these bear some testimony to what I say ; and there will 

 be found not a man but will be obliged to acknowledge that these are 

 genuine, after he has seen the things I have prepared to convince those 

 who would not otherwise give credence to my writings." 



The following passage shows that Palissy clearly perceived the fallacy 

 of the doctrines prevailing at his time, when unbounded reliance was 

 placed on accepted authorities and established theories, instead of a 

 direct resort to the examination of the facts of nature. 



"The desire which I have that you (i.e., the reader) should profit 

 by the perusal of this book, urges me to warn you to beware of exciting 

 your mind by sciences written in the closet in the midst of theories, 

 imaginary, or drawn from some book written by the imagination of 



