CONTENTS. XI 



PART I. SCIENTIFIC THOUGHT. 



Three cliapters on the growth and the diffusion of the scientific spirit 

 in the first half of the nineteenth century. 



CHAPTER I. 



THE SCIENTIFIC SPIRIT IN FRANCE. 



Our century the scientific century, 89 ; Difference of English and Continental 

 notions of science, 91 ; Relation of science and life, 92 ; Foreseen by 

 Bacon, 93 ; Defect in Bacon's philosophy, 94 ; Corrected by Newton, 95 ; 

 Bacon's and Newton's ideas taken up by French philosophers : Bacon and 

 Newton compared, 96 ; Laplace's work, 97; French Academy of Sciences, 

 99 ; Continental methods in mathematics, 100 ; Modern analytical 

 methods, 102 ; Older synthetical methods, 103 ; Influence of science 

 on French literature, 104 ; Absence of this influence in England and 

 Germany, 106 ; Schools of science in Paris, 106 ; Promoted by Govern- 

 ments of Revolution, 108 ; Condorcet, 110 ; Lakanal, 111 ; Ecole normale, 

 Ecole polytechnique, 112; Monge's ' Descriptive Geometry,' 114 ; Science 

 of Chemistry, 114; New mathematical sciences, 116; Crystallography, 

 116; Theory of probability, 118; Laplace gained his results by dis- 

 regarding "individuality," 124 ; The centre of interest in the sciences of 

 life, 125 ; Into this centre Cuvier carried exact research, 128; Cuvier's 

 training, 133 ; Cuvier the greatest representative of the Academic system, 

 136 ; Science during the Revolution and First Empire, 138 ; Popular- 

 isation of science in France, 142 ; Literary and national popularisation, 

 142 ; Dangers of the former, 143 ; The Revolution added the practical 

 popularisation, 145; Influence of the first Napoleon on science, 149; 

 Napoleon favoured the mathematical sciences, 151 ; Discountenanced 

 contemporary philosophy, 152 ; Used statistical methods, 153 ; Promi- 

 nence given deservedly to French names by Cuvier, 155. 



CHAPTER II. 



THE SCIENTIFIC SPIRIT IN GERMANY. 



Foundation of German universities, 158 ; Development of the universities by 

 the people, 159 ; Geographical distribution of the universities, 162 ; Full 

 development of the German university system, 163 ; Philosophical fac- 

 ulty, 164 ; University of Gottingen, 164 ; Relation of universities and 



