Itwasin1826thatBoucherdePerthesfirstpublishedhisopinion；
butitwasnotuntil1816and1847thatheannouncedhisdiscoveryatMenchecourt，nearAbbeville，andatMoulin-QuignonandSaintAcheul，inthealluvialdepositsoftheSomme，offlintsshapedintotheformofhatchetsassociatedwiththeremainsofextinctanimalssuchasthemammoth，thecavelion，theRHINOCEROSINCISIVUS，thehippopotamus，andotheranimalswhosepresenceinFranceisnotalludedtoeitherinhistoryortradition。Theuniformityofshape，themarksofrepeatedchipping，andthesharpedgessonoticeableinthegreaternumberofthesehatchets，cannotbesufficientlyaccountedforeitherbytheactionofwater，ortherubbingagainsteachotherofthestones，stilllessplythemechanicalworkofglaciers。Wemustthereforerecognizeinthemtheresultsofsomedeliberateactionandofanintelligentwill，suchasispossessedbyman，andbymanalone。ProfessorRamsay[13]tellsusthat，aftertwentyyears’
experienceinexaminingstonesintheirnaturalconditionandothersfashionedbythehandofman，hehasnohesitationinpronouncingtheflintsandhatchetsofAmiensandAbbevilleasdecidedlyworksofartastheknivesofSheffield。Thedepositsinwhichtheywerefoundshowednosinsofhavingbeendisturbed；sothatwemayconfidentlyconcludethatthemenwhoworkedtheseflintslivedwherethebanksoftheSommenoware，whenthesedepositswereincourseofbeinglaiddown，andthathewasthecontemporaryoftheanimalswhoseboneslaysidebysidewiththeproductsofhisindustry。
Thisconclusion，whichnowappearssosimple，wasnotacceptedwithoutdifficulty。BoucherdePerthesdefendedhisdiscoveriesinbooks，inpamphlets，andinlettersaddressedtolearnedsocieties。Hehadthecourageofhisconvictions，andtheperseverancewhichinsuressuccess。Fortwentyyearshecontendedpatientlyagainsttheindifferenceofsome，andthecontemptofothers。Everywheretheproofshebroughtforwardwererejected，withouthisbeingallowedthehonorofadiscussionorevenofahearing。TheearliestconvertstoDePerthes’conclusionsmetwithsimilarattacksandwithsimilarindifference。Thereisnothingtosurpriseusinthis；itishumannaturenottotakereadilytoanythingnew，ortoentertainideasopposedtooldestablishedtraditions。Themostdistinguishedmenfinditdifficulttobreakwiththeprejudicesoftheireducationandtheyetmorefirmlyestablishedprejudicesofthesystemstheyhavethemselvesbuiltup。ThewordsofthegreatFrenchfabulistwillneverceasetobetrue：
Manisicetotruth；