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BOOK THIRD。 THE SPIRIT AND THE DOCTRINE。
CHAPTER I。 SCIENTIFIC ACQUISITION。
The composition of the revolutionary spirit。 Scientific
acquisition its first element。
On seeing a man with a somewhat feeble constitution； but healthy in
appearance and of steady habits； greedily swallow some new kind of
cordial and then suddenly fall to the ground； foam at the mouth； act
deliriously and writhe in convulsions； we at once surmise that this
agreeable beverage contained some dangerous substance； but a delicate
analysis is necessary to detect and decompose the poison。 The
philosophy of the eighteenth century contained poison； and of a kind
as potent as it was peculiar； for； not only is it a long historic
elaboration； the final and condensed essence of the tendency of the
thought of the century； but again its two principal ingredients have
this peculiarity； that； separate； they are salutary； and in
combination they form a venomous compound。
I。SCIENTIFIC PROGRESS。
The accumulation and progress of discoveries in science and in
nature。 … They serve as a starting…point for the new philosophers。
The first is scientific discovery； admirable on all sides； and
beneficent in its nature； it is made up of masses of facts slowly
accumulated and then summarily presented； or in rapid succession。 For
the first time in history the sciences expand and affirm each other to
the extent of providing； not； as formerly； under Galileo and
Descartes； constructive fragments； or provisional scaffolding； but a
definite and demonstrated system of the universe； that of Newton。＇1＇
Around this capital fact； almost all the discoveries of the century；
either as complementary or as prolongations； range themselves。 In pure
mathematics we have the Infinitesimal Calculus discovered
simultaneously by Leibnitz and Newton； mechanics reduced by d'Alembert
to a single theorem； and that superb collection of theories which；
elaborated by the Bernouillis； Euler； Clairaut； d'Alembert； Taylor and
Maclaurin； is finally completed at the end of the century by Monge；
Lagrange； and Laplace。＇2＇ In astronomy； the series of calculations and
observations which； from Newton to Laplace； transforms science into a
problem of mechanics； explains and predicts the movements of the
planets and of their satellites； indicating the origin and formation
of our solar system； and； extending beyond this； through the
discoveries of Herschel； affording an insight into the distribution of
the stellar archipelagos； and of the grand outlines of celestial
architecture。 In physics； the decomposition of light and the
principles of optics discovered by Newton； the velocity of sound； the
form of its undulations； and from Sauveur to Chladni； from Newton to
Bernouilli and Lagrange； the experimental laws and leading theorems of
Acoustics； the primary laws of the radiation of heat by Newton； Kraft
and Lambert； the theory of latent heat by Black； the proportions of
caloric by Lavoisier and Laplace； the first true conceptions of the
source of fire and heat； the experiments； laws； and means by which
Dufay； Nollet； Franklin； and especially Coulomb explain； manipulate
and； for the first time； utilize electricity。 … In Chemistry； all
the foundations of the science： isolated oxygen； nitrogen and
hydrogen； the composition of water； the theory of combustion； chemical
nomenclature； quantitative analysis； the indestructibility of matter；
in short； the discoveries of Scheele； Priestley； Cavendish and Stahl；
crowned with the clear and concise theory of Lavoisier。 … In
Mineralogy； the goniometer； the constancy of angles and the primary
laws of derivation by Romé de Lisle； and next the discovery of types
and the mathematical deduction of secondary forms by Haüy。 … In
Geology； the verification and results of Newton's theory； the exact
form of the earth； the depression of the poles； the expansion of the
equator；＇3＇ the cause and the law of the tides； the primitive fluidity
of the planet； the constancy of its internal heat； and then； with
Buffon； Desmarets； Hutton and Werner； the aqueous or igneous origin of
rocks； the stratifications of the earth； the structure of beds of
fossils； the prolonged and repeated submersion of continents； the slow
growth of animal and vegetable deposits； the vast antiquity of life；
the stripping； fracturing and gradual transformation of the
terrestrial surface；＇4＇ and； finally the grand picture in which Buffon
describes in approximate manner the entire history of our globe； from
the moment it formed a mass of glowing lava down to the time when our
species； after so many lost or surviving species； was able to inhabit
it。 … Upon this science of inorganic matter we see arising at the
same time the science of organic matter。 Grew； and then Vaillant had
just demonstrated the sexual system and described the fecundating of
plants； Linnaeus invents botanical nomenclature and the first complete
classifications； the Jussieus discover the subordination of
characteristics and natural classification。 Digestion is explained by
Réaumur and Spallanzani； respiration by Lavoisier ； Prochaska verifies
the mechanism of reflex actions ； Haller and Spallanzani experiment on
and describe the conditions and phases of generation。 Scientists
penetrate to the lowest stages of animal life。 Réaumur publishes his
admirable observations on insects and Lyonnet devotes twenty years to
portraying the willow…caterpillar； Spallanzani resuscitates his
rotifers； Tremblay dissects his fresh…water polyps； and Needham
reveals his infusoria。 The experimental conception of life is deduced
from these various researches。 Buffon already； and especially Lamarck；
in their great and incomplete sketches； outline with penetrating
divination the leading features of modern physiology and zoology。
Organic molecules everywhere diffused or everywhere growing； species
of globules constantly in course of decay and restoration； which；
through the blind and spontaneous development； transform themselves；
multiply and combine； and which； without either foreign direction or
any preconceived end； solely through the effect of their structure and
surroundings； unite together to form those masterly organisms which we
call plants and animals ： in the beginning； the simplest forms； and
next a slow； gradual； complex and perfected organization ； the organ
created through habits； necessity and surrounding medium； heredity
transmitting acquired modifications；＇5＇ all denoting in advance； in a
state of conjecture and approximation； the cellular theory of later
physiologists＇6＇ and the conclusions of Darwin。＇7＇ In the picture
which the human mind draws of nature； the general outline is marked by
the science of the eighteenth century； the arrangement of its plan and
of the principal masses being so correctly marked； that to day the
leading lines remain intact。 With the exception of a few partial
corrections we have nothi