. 608 © 
seriptions, that department of Latin lite- 
rature which is to transmit ta posterity, 
i) a manner at once simple, noble, and 
coucise, the events of the present tine, 
has lately been reduced to more certain 
rules, and recalled to the imitation of the 
most excellent models. 
Fhe science of antiquities has made 
very considerable progress, which is in a 
great measure due toFrance. The study 
of monuments has shed unexpected light 
en that of philology and history, and 
has in return drawn from them that solid 
and enlightened criticism, by means of 
which the science of medals has, within 
eur time, been reduced to a regular sys- 
tem. The Greek and Latin paleogra- 
phies have attained a degree of perfection 
unknown to our predecessors. Arche- 
ology, which elucidates monuments, has 
renounced its chimeras, and is become 
the depositary, or the faithful interpreter 
of the manners, customs, rites, events, 
and arts of antiquity. The admirable 
remains of ancjent sculpture which your 
Majesty has already caused to be re- 
moved, and is still about to have removed, 
from the banks of the Tiber to your new 
Rome, will enhance the importance of 
the science of antiquities, and more and.’ 
more facilitate its progress. Ancient 
iconography revived by one of your locks, 
will place before our eyes the images too 
long neglected, of the great men of anti- 
quity, your ancestors in glory, and whose 
-subhme and immortal inheritance you 
have been able to conquer and extend. 
Oriental literature, which was before 
so much indevted to France, far from 
being neglected, has been enriched by 
some discoveries, and a considerable 
number of useful works. A new school 
established for teaching the principal 
living languages of the east, the posses- 
sion of a multitude of different oriental 
tyves, which places the imperial presses 
at the head of the first typographical es- 
tablishments in Europe; a new profes- 
sorship of Persian, created by your Ma- 
jesty at the college of France; are dis- 
tinguished favours conferred. on this 
branch of literature, and certain pledges 
ef its future progress: but: what chiefly 
insures its advawcement, is that your 
Majesty has resolved that it should be 
adipitted to contend for the great dece- 
norial prizes instituted by your munifi- 
cence. It were to be wished that litera- 
ture might also be indebted to you for 
editions of the best oriental writers, in 
order to render accessible to the studious 
youth, the sources of that literature which 
Progress of the Sciences since 1789. 
[Jan. I, 
could hitherto have been approached 
but by very few. ; 
Among the essential characters of true 
philosophy, as taught by Socrates, and 
the wise men of all aves, we have sought 
the rule necessary to appreciate the 
merit of the labours of which this science 
is the object, and we have had the good 
fortune to find, in diferent Countries, 
_ writers who preserved it in all its punty, 
and rendered it productive; who have 
pointed out some improvements in doc- 
trines conducive to sound morality, im- 
provements which console us for the de- 
viations imputed to philosophy, but 
which philosophy disavows. We have 
attempted to exhibit a view of the re- 
volutions which it has experienced in 
Germany, and to present an abstract of 
the services rendered to it by the Scot- 
tish schoo}. 
France has furnished us with two prin- 
cipal results: the Jight thrown on the 
analysis of the ideas and faculties of | 
man, and the history: of philosophy, a 
history of which our literature was hi- 
therto in want. h 
If the progress made in the different 
sciences within the last twenty years, be 
in a great measure due to the many dis- 
tinguished men in the science of legis. 
Jauion whom France possesses; it 1s near- 
ly ail to be ascribed to the knowledge, 
to the active foresight, the wisdom, and 
the unshaken resolution of government. 
The Napoleon code, so worthy of its 
great name, has been given to France, 
and offered as a model to Europe; 
schoo!s have been formed where great 
numbers of pupils receive useful lessons ; 
a code of civil proceedings, and a com- 
mercial code have been published; a 
new criminal code 1s now preparing, and 
promises to France new benefits. Ne- 
vertheless, our civilians have never ceased 
labouring for the improvement of legis- 
lation, and some have very usefully se- 
conded the profound views of the su- 
preme head of the empire. 
time when the disorder of our laws was 
at once the cause and the effect of our 
public misfortunes, foreigners sought 
amongst the works vreviously published 
by Frenchmen, principles capable of im~ 
proving legislation; and Germany, so 
abundant in Jearned civilians, was not 
afraid to set the example, and to translate 
our books, for the purpose of enriching 
the legislative works ordered by its 
princes. Our codes have suddenly given 
rise to an infinite namber of commen- 
taries, some of which may not be -un- 
worthy 
Even at the’ 
