BARON CUVIER. 105 



those men to whom the exact sciences have given 

 the excellent habit of relying solely on evidence, 

 or, in a dearth of positive evidence, on circum- 

 stances, according to their degree of probability. 

 With these precautions there is no science which 

 may not almost become geometrical. Chemists 

 have lately found this with regard to their pur- 

 suits ; and I hope the period is not far distant 

 when as much will be said for anatomists." Can 

 I be mistaken, after the perusal of the last two 

 passages, in agreeing with M. Cuvier on the 

 advantage of finding such a collection of fossil 

 remains within our reach, and from this accord- 

 ance to deduce the equal advantage of having 

 had sucii an intellect to explain, to apply, and to 

 appreciate the evidences thus presented to man 

 of the changes which have taken place in the 

 earth which he inhabits? 



1 now have to notice the two editions of the 

 R6gne Animal, which, with the Tableau Ele- 

 mentaire, I have already esteemed as one and 

 the same work ; the first edition being a comple- 

 tion of the sketch contained in the Tableau, 

 and the second edition being an enlargement of 

 the first, with a slight alteration in the classifica- 

 tion, necessitated by the progress of discovery. 

 Having used the dissecting knife through every 



