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self reliance b rought out in such passages as the above / form the forte md foible of the race of men to which he belonged . . ¦ ¦¦ - _• " Thus he declared against theory , yet was himself the greatest of theorists ; his « reat fact led to startling hypotheses , which he asserted to be facts . He maintained the Jtimttj of species for ever and ever , grounding his assertion on the paltry pitiful records of humanity ; records generally worthless , or so limited in time , as to be valueless for the settling of any great secondary law of Nature . The invention of six successive creations was at last forced tipO . n him , chiefly through his English partisans ; against his common teense , " ' &iid in contradiction of his own his dislike to transcen
" All honour , hotwithstahdirig , be to his great name ; - dentalism was forced upon him ' . What passes for the views and theories of Cuvier , in England , do not belong to him ; They emanate from a school with whom truth in science is of no moinent . They emanate from men whoare not strictly scientific , but who , like Philo-Judaeus , Derham , and Paley , look into works of science , not with any view to extract the truth therefrom , but to find happy applications in support of errors in human history * and a cosmogony to which antiquity has lent a sort of reverential awe . " If there were nothing else to throw a doubt on the solidity of Cuvier ' s reputation , it would be enough tP mention the instantaneous and universal ^ ^^ - ^ WM W «^» W — -w — » j ^ w * w — — —¦ —— - ¦— ,- — . — - r- — ¦ C 3 ----- l -, ^ _ - . ¦ _
acceptance of his views by orthodox and academic Europe , —war surely was suspicious ? When we reflect that Goethe was forty years before he could get anatomists to recognise the existence of the intermaxillary bone in man , —that is to say * to recognise a fact which was offensive , because it destroyed an imaginary difference between man and the monkey ; and that his great morphological discoveries * which now rule in science , were thirty years before gaining acceptance , —this opposition , first , to a single fact , and , second , to an idea , indicates the routmiary obstructions which all reforming thinkers have to encounter , and suggests , that any man who is at once accepted as a new light , is not very likely to turn out a true light . Let us continue toborrow from Dr . Knox : - ¦ — - '
"We have now to view Cuvier as entering on a new career ; from simple naturalist and anatomist , he had become geologist in a sense that never man was before . Historian of the catastrophes of the globe ; author of a new cosmogony . Unwittingly , the man of facts was forced , also , to become the theorist . Human bones were not found fossilized . Then came theory first—namely , that man ' s origin or formation was' quite recent . In theory second he advanced the principle of the fixity of species , founded on the fact , that during the historic period animals had not changed theirappearances , —forgetting that this historic period was but a drop in the great ocean of time ; that no great geological epoch had occurred during that period , and , consequently , neither man nor animals had been violently dislocated from the aboriginal continents j ever been exposed to the only influences likely or competent to produce changes inform , amounting to a specific him bthe theo
or permanent alteration . Lastly , a theory or two was forced on y - geologicai school of England , which were not his , and expressions which he never uttered were ascribed to him . It passes current , for example , in England , that he advocated the theory of successive miraculous creations of animals . This is a pure invention of the English geologists , invented by them to reconcile the conflicting facts of true geology with their imaginary cosmogony and fabulous chronology With the exception of his first paleontological essay , Cuvier constantly opposed the theory of successive creations . There cannot exist a doubt on this point , although the contrary opinion has , as is usual , become stereotyped in England ;—in England , where things are said never td change—not even errors , These are his words : —' Nous necroyons pasmemea la possibilite d ' une apparition successive des formes diverses / Thus the theory ascribed in England to Cuvier , this illustrious anatomist has declared not only to be false , but impossible .
" Whilst Cuvier was thus applying with such success the single method of the descriptive anatomy of the adult animal to zoology , and to the history of the globe , overturning all existing theories , cosmogonies , and histories , other minds were at work in Germany and France . ' The descriptive anatomy of the adult animal formed selon le regie ; is not all ; there is the anatomy of the embryo ; of varieties or lusus natures ; of monsters ; of organs found in man and animals , evidently of no use to the individual . This Cuvier persisted in overlooking . His mind was filled with that idea , the most natural of all—namely , the persistence and fixity of the present order of things ; an idea proved to be false , first by himself . But this , also , the doctrines of transcendental
ho would fain have overlooked . Of new anatomy , originating in these sources , he took but little notice at first , at times admitting them , at times rejecting them . At last the doctrine of unity of organization became too great to bo overlooked ; a struggle evidently approached between the parties . But it did not fairly come off until Geoffroy , the French advocate of the heterodoxy , had boldly advocated in the Acudcmy , and in the presence of Cuvier , the theory of development , a necessary sequel of tho grand law of unity , which teaches that * the animals to which belonged tho fossil remains , so admirably described by Cuvier , are not specifically distinct from the living organic world , but simply tho forefathers of tho existing race of animals . '"
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JEltBAN'S AUTOBIOGRAPHY . Tho Autobiography of William Jordan , with Jiia TAtcrart / , Political , and Social Reminiscences and Correspondence . Vol . I . Arthur Hall , Virtuo & Co When complete , this work ' will probably be attractive enough as a collection of gossip and of lcttors from celebrated persons ; but no misplaced delicacy ought to prevent the critic from expressing an emphatic condemnation of tho work as regards tho autobiographical tissue on winch tho anecdotes are woven . William Jordan may , from the accidents of position , have materials in hand which a gossip-greedy public will eagerly
devour ; but no one can conscientiously accept him as a man whose literary achievements merit tho slightest notice , or whose talents give him a claim upon biographical honours . It would bo a mockery to examine his pretensions with any seriousness , for ho cannot write a page of acceptable prose and wo imagine it would require considerable research to discover any living memory of what he has written . As tho editor of tho old Literary Gazette it might please certain authors anxious about roviews of their works to pay him obsequious deference , but we believe wo are stating a notorious fact , in affirming that he has no recogninod position in literature , as wo are certain that ho never had the talents to deserve ono . When therefore we find him assuming the character of one who preaches from the text of bis own example , and solemnly warning men against tho profession ,
of literature ^ which denounces with a fervour that \ rouldlift hini into eloquence were he capable of that -exal ^ tion , we cannot suppress the thoughts that rise to meet ais denunciation . WJienTPexead such passages as this— . ' .. ' ¦ : ¦ ¦¦ : : ¦ ¦¦ ' ¦ ¦ <• } ^ vi '/ : V : a ? r . 4 ^ v . \ !¦ ' v : " . ' ' "I believe that the retrospect may be very ^ serviceable to xny fellow-creatures and most signally so to those who have embarked , or are disposed to embark in the pursuits of literature as a provision for the waht » , of life . Of all the multitude I have known who leant upon this : crutch as a sole support , I could not specify tea who ever attained anything like a desirable status { either in fortuiie or society . On the contrary ^ the entire class inay be assured , that although felony may be more hazardous , literature is , of thei tw , o / by'far * the mbsfc unprofitable profesaion . " the thought that rises spontanedusly ^ is ^ - ^ iS inay be b 6 , but it makes
some difference by ' whom it is said I > i There ' is at this moment a man of genius forced to guit England and 'to seefc in Australia the living his genius fails to seciire him here . ; BCad lie lyrittensuch a passage we might have listened to lit . y . but from : a wi ^ si 0 thei quaHty or ^ lfiam Jerd ^ a such a passage is an ' inexcusably . ifis | at ? . ^^ iiatt l' ou ;^ yi 9- -foi very manyyears earned a l ^^ m ^ Tti ^ ^^^ f&r ^^ 'tlie far from contemptible advantage of enjoying ' the j fer ' sotfal acquaintance 5 f many celebrated persons—you have earned this and nldt ' e / aiid all bytalents ysrhich even friendship cannot magnify into distinction / and ^ t ^ e prpfessioti in which you have gathered ainame is to be insulted by yoii , ana classed below felony ! We abstain from all allusion to notorious facts—we take the insult as
it comes— -and in the name of the ; prefesiSiph to which we think it an . honour to belong , ^ e protest agi ^ st t ^ book . Not even age and misfortune ^ seems to give it the countenance of experience , and misfo ^ une to give it the evidence in proof . The querulous tone which fatigues the reader of this Autobiography might readily be pardoned from / an old man reviewing his life , anefnot recognising in adversity the bitter fruit he had himself sown in . the careless days ; but the attempt to associate his personal errors with , literature as a necessary condition , and rfchus ; further to traduce a profession already too much disgraced by the whimpering weakness of one class of incapableS , and by the unseemly pride of others , ashamed of their high calling—this attempt must not pass unexpos ^ d . It inay be said , Why take notice of such querulous foolishness , it t ^ l die of itself P But it is
nofc so . literature already suffers top much froin want of the dignity derived from the consciousness ofits -high pffipe . iHad the denunciation been made against Medicine , against the Iiaw , pi ?^ ainst the Army , we mi <* ht have suffered it to pass unnoticed , certain that it could rouse no echoes . But the Priesthood of . Letters is a calling which , with all its trials , and they are many , with all . its perils * and they are manyy with all its abuses , and they are many , is still a high and npble calling , fitly demanding the devotion of a life , and mainly iept . fxom the recognition which is its due , by the miserable facility with which its members have from time immemorial abetted the ignorant b y ^ flipgmg atit their sarcasms and making it the scapegoat of their errors . But we will not dwell on this unpleasant topic . What has already been said will doubtless appear harsh , and be attributed perhaps to all sorts
of motives . / ; „ ' .. We have been looking for some passage to quote from this volume , and alight on this fact , connected with the History of the Press , which Mr . Knight Hunt will assuredly make good use of in the next edition of his work on that subject , viz . —that the first appearance of reviews ^ of new books , as a department of journalism , was in 1818 , when Jerdan edited the Sun . "The literary leaning nourished in my nature , as I have endeavoured to trace it to the fortunate tuition of Dr . Rutherford ( for with » U the ills it may bring in its
course , a taste for literature and literary occupation j » a great blessing ) , was manifested as soon as the desperate din of war and absorbing strife of politics were so far quelled as to allow a breathing time , for aught else to be heard or seen . I immediately projected a Review of New Works to form a peace feature in the paper ; and this , I believe , was the first example of , any attention of the kind being paid by the newspaper press to the productions of its lefts ephemeral brethren ot the quill . When 1 look around me at this date , I cannot but feel a sensible ^ grafancation on witnessing this little plant become the parent of a vaat tree that overspreads the land , and possesses a universal influence upon the interests of literature .
It iu true that . ; i ^ ' They must dig , who gather QVf , . ,., ¦ ¦ And they must dig who gather lore ; and that wo have a considerable proportion of very superficial scratched of tho soil , both among authors and critics , but the mere tact of notoriety is a wonderful advantngo to tho really deserving , and can do but little temporary i" 180 ™ 1 in keeping back the sterling , puffing the mediocre , or bolstering « p tho t » sny . Some ycara hence , however , in my narrative , will be a fitter tlino more iuiiy discuss this important question . "
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LECTURES ON THE GREAT EXHIBITION . Eooturca on the Bemtlts of the Great Exhibition of 1851 . Dolivorod before tho Socio V of Arts , at tho Buggostion of H . R . H . Prince Albert . XJ ' b The twelve Lectures delivered before th © Society of Arts , at the suggestion of Prince Albert , havo here been gathered into a handsome vommu , which deserves its place among the many records of that gigantic vr Dr . Whewoll opens with a very suggestive Lecture on the General ¦ uv <* . ing of the Great Exhibition on the Progress of Art and Science , a wv fertile in commonplaces , which he has managed to render attractive jr sinrtrofltion from seionco . in the shano of classification . Hero also ib
mark worth quoting , though far jfrora novel . Having dwelt _ upon p prodigal magnificence of some of tho " barbaric , pomp' ' o ^^ SSros Oriental nations , tho beauty pf which surpasses our own monuiiwwui . and yet holding fast to tho belief in progress , ami in our superiorly , aska : — .. . " What is tho broad and predominant distinction between tho arts of " » ^ rich , but in a condition of nearly Btatjonary , civilization , like Oriental nation , nations which havo felt the full influence of progress Hko outbqIvob P , Jfl " If I ma not miutaken , tho difference may bo briefly expressed thus J— *
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- 518 : ¦ : THE LEADEB ,, ' •;;;• ; ;; ;;/^ C | ATmiDAx ^ '
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Leader (1850-1860), May 29, 1852, page 518, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse2.kdl.kcl.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/vm2-ncseproduct1937/page/18/
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