PREFACE. 109 



feel that I was doing an injury to science by 

 an appearance of disregard to this honoured 

 tradition. What would become of our 

 graver studies, if they had not an in- 

 violable sanctuary in the College of France ? 

 What of high cultivation of the intellect, 

 if mere general expositions, well enough, 

 perhaps, when delivered in the presence 

 of a numerous audience, are to stifle in- 

 struction in a more severe form in an insti- 

 tution which, above all others, is destined 

 to endure as the School of deep scientific 

 research? I should be most culpable, if 

 the future could charge me with having 

 contributed to such a change. The pro- 

 gress of science is compromised, if we do 

 not profit by deep thought and reflection ; 

 if any one thinks he fulfils the duties of 

 life in holding blindly the opinions of any 

 party on all things ; if fickleness, exclusive 

 opinions, abrupt and peremptory forms, sup- 

 press problems, instead of solving them. 

 Oh, that the fathers of modern intellect 



