J. A. LANGLOIS.


PREFACE.

The following letter served as a preface to the first edition of
this memoir:--


"To the Members of the Academy of Besancon
"PARIS, June 30, 1840.


"GENTLEMEN,--In the course of your debate of the 9th of May,
1833, in regard to the triennial pension established by Madame
Suard, you expressed the following wish:--

"`The Academy requests the titulary to present it annually,
during the first fortnight in July, with a succinct and logical
statement of the various studies which he has pursued during the
year which has just expired.'

"I now propose, gentlemen, to discharge this duty.

"When I solicited your votes, I boldly avowed my intention to
bend my efforts to the discovery of some means of AMELIORATING
THE PHYSICAL, MORAL, AND INTELLECTUAL CONDITION OF THE MERE
NUMEROUS AND POORER CLASSES. This idea, foreign as it may have
seemed to the object of my candidacy, you received favorably;
and, by the precious distinction with which it has been your