44 MEMOIRS OF 



coverings ; the nerves which proceed from it ; the different 

 parts of the eye, and its consequent vision ; the muscles 

 which move the eye ; the eyehds ; the air, and its compli- 

 cated parts ; the muscles and nerves belonging to it ; the 

 movements of the lower jaw ; the teeth in all their stages ; 

 the saUvary glands ; the bones of the tongue, its muscles, 

 and the tongue itself, &c. What a task thus to carry us 

 through all creation ! And yet the noble author considered 

 this merely as a foundation for one of still greatei* magni- 

 tude, the preparations for which he had been carrying on 

 during the whole of his active life, and the results of which 

 preparations were shortly to have been given to us, had not 

 death suddenly arrested his progress — had not the inscrutable 

 will of the Ahiiighty suddenly closed upon us the way 

 which this great genius had opened to our progress. 



To the above work was awarded one of the "prix de- 

 cennaux," instituted by Napoleon in 1810, an account of 

 which may be acceptable to the English reader. Wishing 

 at that time to divert the public attention from passing 

 events (the Spanish campaign, &c.,) the Emperor issued 

 a decree, stating, that as he was desirous of rewarding and 

 encouraging every species of study and labour, which could 

 contribute to the glory of his empire, he had resolved to 

 bestow prizes of money, every ten years, on the 9th of 

 November, on the best works in every branch of science, 

 arts, and literature. The prizes were to be proclaimed by 

 the Minister of the Interior, and the successful candidates 

 were also to receive a medal from the hands of the Emperor 

 himself, in presence of the princes, the dignitaries of the 

 state, the great officers of the University, and the whole 

 body of the Institute, assembled at the Thuilleries. All la- 

 bours having sufficient merit were to be examined by a jury 

 and judges, composed of the presidents and perpetual secre- 

 taries of the four classes of the Institute. Each class to 

 make a catalogue raisonne of the works put to the suffrage ; 

 those deemed worthy of approaching the prizes, to receive 

 honourable mention ; but those of sufficient merit, in the 

 opinion of the judges, to obtain the prize, to be noticed with 

 still greater detail. All the reports and discussions to be 

 given to the Minister of the Interior, by whom they were to 

 be kept entirely secret from the public. No judge to be al- 



