[ 2o8 J 
obfervations have encreafed the number of my experi- 
ments : my ideas have been enlarged, my views extend- 
ed ; and the phsenomena crowd in fo faft upon me that 
I dare not flatter myfelf with the hopes of ever arriving 
at the end of this purfuit. The fcarcity of high tides, 
the viciflitudes of feafons, and other flmilar impedi- 
ments, make it lefs wonderful that a feries of years 
Ihould often elapfe before it is poflible to prefent the cu- 
rious with any difcoveries of which they might avail 
themfelves, either by analyfls, combination, or analogy, 
and thereby furnifh general views and a chain of ideas 
leading to a new field of difeovery, the ufual efFefl; of 
contemplation. I fliall here endeavour as briefly as pof- 
fible, to communicate fome of the ideas that have been 
fuggefted to me by my lafl: experiments. 
How many are the animal fundtions, which feem to 
depend upon fenfibility and irritability ; and yet how little 
are thefe faculties underftood ? how ignorant are we of 
their 
5""®. De nouvelles obfervations ont multiplie mes experiences, mes vues fe font 
ctendues, mes deffeins fe font accumules, et les phenoinenes fe fuccedent de maniere 
z me faire croire que j’en verrai difficilement la fin. La rarete des grandes marecs-, la 
vicifiitude des faifons amene des annees, des fuites d’annees, avant de pouvoir ofFnr 
aux favans quelques decouvertes dont on puiffe tirer avantage par I’analyfe, la com- 
binaifon, I’analogie ; et ouvrir par des vues generales, par la liaifon des idees, &c. 
de nouvelles routes, fruits ordinaires dela contemplation. EfiTayons fans prolixite 
d’expofer ici cpielques unes des vues que m’ont fait naltre mes dernieres experiences, 
De combien de fonftions ces deux facultes trop peu connues, la fenfibilite 
et nrritabllit^ ne paroiffent-elles pas etre la caufe ? mais combien encore la 
Icur nous eft-elle' cachee? Quoique les nerfs femblent etre chez nous les prin- 
I cipaux, 
