Preface to the French Edition
One of our most dearly cherished hopes, is that of beholding Science consecrated to the glory of Him, who is life and light, — an historical edifice of which Divine Providence has disposed the elements from the beginning, God himself having traced its plan, and immortal Truth fashioned its immoveable foundations. Every age, and every people will be represented; each exterior or interior stone will be a name or an event placed with order and with justice. Those deeply obscure beginnings, those different tongues and defined nationalities, those rapid revolutions, those elevations and those falls, so unforeseen, will appear in magnificent unity and the Church taking possession of that temple which Science will have prepared for her, will give within it a last and most solemn lesson to man.
The materials of that majestic edifice are already preparing throughout the world. God, like Solomon, employs on it foreign hands; the workmen of Tyre and Sidon, though far distant, carve the stones and cut the cedars. The Protestant and the unbeliever draw forth from the heart of ages past, the most precious metals and daily present to knowledge the admirable fruits of their criticism and their studious labors. Historical studies have never been so active or so complete. Every
