In the present state of physiology, it appeared to me the most judicious plan to connect the experimental method of Haller and Spallanzani, with the grand and philosophic views of Bordeu; if I have failed in attaining this object, it has not been through want of knowing how to appreciate it.
I have extended some divisions already announced in my Treatise on the Membranes, and have again offered them as my own, notwithstanding they have been attributed to Buffon, Bordeu and Grimaud. These authors are so well known, that I considered it unnecessary to quote them with critical exactness. For this reason also I have not attempted to remove the doubts before expressed on some anatomical facts published by me. I shall merely refer those who have entertained these doubts to an inspection of the dead body. For those who gave rise to them, such an inspection is unnecessary: they cannot have forgotten that I have dissected with them, and have demonstrated to them what they now accuse me with having established upon unfounded conjecture.
Finally, I have been cautious, in this work as well as in my former one, not to rely too much upon myself, assured that a thousand circumstances may escape the notice of one and present themselves to another. My experiments have been made often in the presence of a great number, and always with several of the students who attended my lectures. Citizen Hallé has sacrificed much time in repeating the most important; and citizen Duméril has been equally polite. If they should excite the interest of any other lovers of science, my assistance shall be readily afforded.
