RELA TION BETWEEN SCIENCE AND RELIGION 



379 



phie zoologique, the spirit of the remainder may be 

 imagined from the foregoing extracts. 



The author refers to the numerous evils resulting 

 from ignorance, false knowledge, lack of judgment, 

 abuse of power, demonstrating the necessity of our 

 confining ourselves within the circle of the objects 

 presented by nature, and never to go beyond them 

 if we do not wish to fall into error, because the pro- 

 found study of nature and of the organization of 

 man alone, and the exact observation of facts alone, 

 will reveal to us " the truths most important for us 

 to know," in order to avoid the vexations, the per- 

 fidies, the injustices, and the oppressions of all sorts, 

 and "incalculable disorders" which arise in the 

 social body. In this way only shall we discover and 

 acquire the means of obtaining the enjoyment of the 

 advantages which we have a right to expect from 

 our state of civilization. The author endeavors to 

 state what science can and should render to society. 

 He dwells on the sources from which man has drawn 

 the knowledge which he possesses, and from which 

 he can obtain many others — sources the totality of 

 which constitutes for him the field of realities. 



Lamarck also in this work has built up a system 

 for moral philosophy. 



Self-love, he says, perfectly regulated, gives rise: 



1. To moral force which characterizes the labori- 

 ous man, so that the length and difficulties of a use- 

 ful work do not repel him. 



2. To the courage of him who, knowing the dan- 

 ger, exposes himself when he sees that this would 

 be useful. 



