INTRODUCTION. 5 



df years are hardly able to understand the value 

 of the rest. Foreigners, and those amongst the 

 curious who have other duties to fulfil , other oc- 

 cupations to pursue and little time at their dis- 

 posal, require to be told what is most worthy of 

 their attention , and directed where to find it. 

 With this vie w , we shall offer a brief descrip- 

 tion of every part of the establishment : but 

 before we conduct our readers to what is most 

 interesting or valuable , it may be proper to 

 make them acquainted with the establishment 

 itself ; its foundation ; its successive additions ; 

 its ancient administration ; the names of the lear- 

 ned men who have adorned it ; its reorgani- 

 sation, and its present state. This notice will be 

 succinct, and those who are desirous of further 

 details are referred to the Memoirs of M. de Jus- 

 sieu , inserted in the annals of the Museum , vo- 

 lumes i, 2, 3, 4, 6 and 1 1 ; and to the History of 

 the Museum , written in german by Fischer. 



The name of Museum of 'Natural History, is of 

 recent date ; it was given at the period when the 

 garden assumed its present form , and was em- 

 ployed to designate the union of three former 



