8 4 o THE POPULAR SCIENCE MONTHLY. 



and that they wished him not to discontinue his pursuits in that 

 line. He had, however, already found the presidency interfering 

 with his scientific work, and the additional burden was too much. 

 " For the duties of solicitor of money," says his biographer, " he 

 had no qualification. Between paleontologist and financial agent 

 was a gap so broad that he had never contemplated crossing it/' 

 He, however, in December, 1874, accepted the chair of Geology in 

 the same university. For this department he prepared an extended 

 syllabus of a proposed course of geological lectures, which should 

 possess interest for the general public, but found it difficult in 

 the financial condition of the institution to equip and maintain 

 laboratories corresponding with his ideas of the professorship of 

 Geology. While occupied with this problem, he was invited to 

 become Professor of Geology, Zoology, and Botany, in Vander- 

 bilt University, Nashville, Tenn. He accepted an engagement 

 for three months, without severing his connection with Syra- 

 cuse University, for he opened there a School of Geology, in 

 January, 1876, which he wished to make a permanent feature 

 of the institution ; but the enterprise was not fully success- 

 ful till 1878. He divided his time between Syracuse and Van- 

 derbilt Universities. He found the authorities of the latter 

 institution attached to the old ideas, and in no way disposed 

 to give ear to the new theories of evolution. He nevertheless 

 began his course under what might be considered favorable au- 

 spices. In 1877 he published a theory of a relation of meteorites 

 to the disturbances of the satellites of Mars, and several papers 

 in strictly orthodox books and newspapers, unfolding his theory of 

 Preadamites, or of the existence of races of men before Adam ; 

 which, he held, was not contrary to divine revelation, but was 

 authorized by a proper construction of the Scriptures. His views 

 were kindly received, even when they were not believed, in the 

 North, but were very unwelcome to his Southern friends. At the 

 commencement season of Vanderbilt University of 1878, Prof. 

 Winchell was warned that his " heterodox " position in reference 

 to Preadamites and evolution was having an influence adverse 

 to the interests of the university, and was asked to decline a re- 

 appointment to his professorship. He refused to do this on such 

 grounds as were alleged. On the same evening he delivered one 

 of the addresses of the commencement occasion ; and on the next 

 morning the Board of Trust of the university abolished his chair. 

 It had been intended to have the thing quietly done, but Prof. Win- 

 chell published all the facts, and was not the one who suffered in 

 reputation from the transaction. Of this incident, Dr. Andrew D. 

 White says, in his New Chapters in the Warfare of Science : " That 

 his lectures at the Vanderbilt University were learned, attractive, 

 and stimulating, even his enemies were forced to admit ; but he 



