504, 
I, the Spirit, here presiding, 
Ever guard the good from harm 3 
Here have they a safe abiding : 
Wander then without alarm ! 
But to you; ye sons of riot! 
Roving here to murder peace; 
Robbers rude of Sylvan quiet, 
From your harsh intrusion ceases 
Progress of the Sciences since 1189. 
[Dee 15 + 
Henee, in haste, lest fate attend you 3 
_Hence, from holy ground depart ; 
Hence, nor near my temple bend yous 
Till you’re puriied of heart. 
Woodland Wanderers! here delighting, 
Spirit of the grove, I dwell; - 
Here, with sacred peace, inviting 
Echo from her-airy ceil. 
James JENNINGS« 
PROCEEDINGS OF LEARNED SOCIETIES. 
Eee 
NATIONAL INSTITUTE. 
Report on the Progress of the Sczences 
from the Epoch of the French Revolu- 
tion (1789) to the Year 1808, made by 
-a Commission of the Institute of France, 
by order of the Emperor Napoleon, 
(Concluded from page 406. ) 
HE astonishing expedition to Egypt, 
holds the first rank for natural histo- 
ry, as well as for all kinds of knowledge. 
Alter it, the voyage to the South Seas, or-. 
dered by your Majesty, hasbeen one ofthe 
most fruitful, and the museum of natural 
history is become, under the same auspi- 
ces, one of the most complete in the 
world. It is, in some measure, only now, 
that we'begin to form an idea of the 
wealth of the nation. The works of M. 
Lacepede, so worthy acomplement tothe 
magnificent edifice, commenced by Buf- 
fon; those of M. M. Geoffrin, Fabricius, 
Lamarck, Olivier, Latreille, Bose, Brong- 
niart, and Shaw, for the history of ani- 
mals; those of M. M. Lamarck, Desfon- 
taines, Ventenat, Labillardiere, Decan- 
dolle, Palissot Beauvois, Wildenow, 
Wahl, Cavanilles, Smith, Swarts, and a 
great number of other botanists, for that 
of plants, augment to nearly a hundred 
thousand the number of living beings 
recorded in the grand register of the 
works of nature... 
But the methods now followed in the 
distribution’ of these beings, are of still 
more essential service to the science, 
than all the additions made to their list. 
It is only within our period, that sure 
methods have been discovered of arran- 
ging them all, inan order so graduated 
and subordinate, that the expression of 
their distinctive characters should also be 
“that of their real relations; and that the 
method should contain nothing more, 
than the science itself reduced to its 
most simple terms. The work which has 
contributed the most to the general 
adoption of this method of proceeding, 
is the Genera Plantarum of M, Jussieu, 
which appeared in 1789, and whieh 
forms, in the sciences of observation, at 
epoch, perhaps as important as the che- 
mistry of Lavoisier, in the scicnces of 
experiment. 
The absolute comparison of vegetables, 
could alone serve as a guide in their dis- 
tribution, because the functions of their 
organs are too imperfectly known; those 
of animals, on the contrary, have had 
the advantage of being supported by 
rational foundations, established in some 
measure, @ priori, and it is comparative 
anatomy, that has furnished them with 
these foundations. 
The general study of this science will 
be the last character, which we shall 
assign to the present period; for some 
years past, naturalists every where de- 
_vote themselves to it; it is already the 
support, and the regulator of zoology ; 
genera! physiology is indebted to it for 
a great part of its discoveries, or at least, 
for the complement of its proofs; it 
throws light even on the history of the 
globe, by restoring species which the 
revolutions experienced by our planet 
seem to have destroyed. Will your Ma- 
jesty pardon in the man who addresses 
you, the temerity of having named hime 
self after his masters? 
Here is, Sire, all that the time which 
you are pleased to assign, permits us ra- 
pidly to state, respecting the discoveries 
which open, in the theoretical part of the 
natural sciences, the age of Napoleon. 
The view which we have drawn of it, 
and which we shail have the honor of 
laying before you, is not exaggerated; we 
have been ourselves astonished, while 
preparing it, at the abundance and fe- 
cundity of the works, which have pre- 
sented themselves to our memory, and te 
our pen; respectable titles, which the 
learned men of our days haye acquired 
to the gratitude of posterity. . 
The spirit which directs them is still 
more. satisfactory than the discoveries 
themselves, 
i 
