146 SCIENTIFIC THOUGHT. 



something different viz., the modern practical popular- 

 isation of science : it established its educational and its 

 technical importance. Science was to be not an elegant 

 amusement, or a refined luxury, nor even exclusively 

 the serious occupation of the rare genius : it was to be 

 the basis of a national instruction, and the foundation 

 of the greatness and wealth of the nation. The Memoirs 

 of the Academy were cleansed of all dangerous general- 

 isations which might have brought them into touch with 

 political controversy ; the language was confined to the 

 measured and concise statement of facts, or to theories 

 capable of mathematical verification and treatment : con- 

 jectural matter was carefully excluded, and a standard of 

 scientific excellence, both in matter and form, was raised, 

 to which we still look up with admiration. 1 At the same 

 time, this lofty and dignified spirit enlivened the cou: 



mal and diseased conditions. This ne se rendre qu'a des calculs ou a ties 

 organisation produced, during its experiences positives "(vol. iii. p. 12). 

 short existence of only seven years, Compare also ; Mem. de Flnstitut,' 



voL vii. p. 77, where he speaks of 



some memorable works ; but its 

 position was for various reasons 

 secondary only : it was eclipsed by 

 the European renown which the 



the method of Newton, showing 

 how little the employment of a 

 principle like that of " vital force '' 



" Academic des Sciences " possessed, in physiology can be compared with 

 owing to its historical antecedents ; that of gravitation, employed by 



and its brilliant discoveries and the Newton to explain the movement 



practical usefulness of its labours. of the heavenly bodies ; again, vol. 



But the idea of including ethical viii. p. 139, where he refers to the 



and political studies under the term great service rendered by the Aca- 



" Science," due probably to Con- demy, li s ? il parvenait a diriger les 



dorcet, was fixed by this organisa- esprits vers des recherches positives, 



tion, and has in the course of the mais longues et penibles." And 



century acquired increasing influ- vol. ix. p. 61 : " On aime toujours 



ence. From these beginnings we a voir se multiplier dans les sciences 



shall have to study its career in an- experimen tales les inoyens simples 



other portion of the present work. d'arriver h la precision et de se 



1 According to Cuvier, " la langue rapprocher des sciences mathema- 



naturelle de 1' Academic des Sci- tiques," and other passages quoted 



ences" is "la langue des chifires"' above, p. 115 and p. 128. See also 



('Eloges,' vol. L p. 24); "1'Acade- his remarks on the Philosophy of 



mie a toujours eu pour principe de Nature, 'Rapport,' p. 335. 



