viii EDITOK'S PEEFACE. 



this especially the Author and Editor are in entire disagree- 

 ment. The former is inclined to go out of his way to bring 

 forward those views, when they were not required, and would 

 have been better left unsaid. 



We have, however, a new and extremely interesting field of 

 investigation opened to us; but the more pains our author 

 takes to explain and illustrate the wonders of our physical and 

 psychological nature, the more he seems to disprove his own 

 theory of spontaneous generation. Blackmore said 



" Survey 



Nature's extended face, then, sceptics say, 

 In this wide field of wonders can you find 



No art?" 



But M. Pouchet does find art in nature ; he tells us that its 

 ways are intricate and manifold, but still that it all arises from 

 some germ spontaneously generated, he cannot say how. 



With this exception, which some may think no fault at all, 

 I recommend this book heartily to the Fellows. of the Society 

 and the public generally. The clearness and even brilliancy of 

 M. Pouchet's very peculiar style are soon discoverable, and it 

 is not astonishing that his book has had a great success in 

 France. That such will be the case in its English form is my 

 sincere wish. I must thank my friend Mr. Carter Blake es- 

 pecially for many kind and valuable hints, and I need scarcely 

 say, in conclusion, that as much care as possible has been taken 

 with the translation and editing. I now commit this little 

 work to the kind consideration of the Society and the world. 

 It is for them to judge how my duties have been performed. 



H. J. C. B. 



London, August 30^, 1864. 



