18 LECTURE I. 



In praising Hunter, I by no means wish 

 to disparage Cuvier ; on the contrary I ac- 

 knowledge the industry with which he has 

 collected information by reading ; and the 

 great additions he has made to the stock of 

 public knowledge relative to the subjects 

 on which he treats. I admire, also, his clear 

 arrangement, and the genius which is dis- 

 played throughout his works. We observe 

 a constant endeavour to discover the series 

 and order of facts ; the variety of means 

 employed for effecting the same purpose ; 

 attempts to reduce a number of facts to one 

 general principle ; in short, the endeavour 

 to discover the causes and nature of what- 

 ever we observe ; the hope of effecting 

 which, appears to be the most potent in- 

 centive to labour, and the accomplishment 

 its most gratifying reward. To shew that 

 Cuvier has not wrought so hard without 

 some animating motive, I quote his own 

 words. " Pourquoi tel animal ne se nour- 

 rit-il que de chair, tel autre que de vege- 

 taux? D'oii celui-ci tire-t-il la finesse de 

 son odorat, oil celle de son ouie ! D'ou 

 viens que I'oiseau voit egalement bien a des 



