THE PROBABLE AGE OF THE WORLD. 66} 



whether they oscillate only within narrow limits ; whether their inten- 

 sity in former times was nearly the same as it is now: these are pre- 

 cisely the questions which we wish science to answer us impartially 

 and truly. Where, then, is the wisdom of ' an earnest and patient 

 endeavor ' to secure an affirmative reply ? " 



This was rough handling of a pet theory, or, rather, of an argu- 

 ment in favor of a pet theory ; but that Sir Charles Lyell felt its force 

 is shown by the fact that no trace of the appeal attacked by Whewell 

 appears in such later editions of the " Principles " as we have con- 

 sulted. 



As another instance of the same spirit, the following remark was 

 made by Dr. Hooker, the President of the Royal Society, when ad- 

 dressing the British Association at Norwich. He was speaking of the 

 progress made in public estimation by the theories of Mr. Darwin. 

 " Sir Charles Lyell," he says, " having devoted whole chapters of the 

 first edition of his 'Principles' to establishing the doctrine of special 

 ci-eations, abandons it in the tenth edition. I know no brighter ex- 

 ample of heroism, of its kind, than this, of an author thus abandoning 

 late in life a theory which he had for forty years regarded as one of 

 the foundation-stones of a work that had given him the highest posi- 

 tion attainable among contemporary scientific writers." 



Among eminent persons holding the geological opinions to which 

 the name of Catasti'ophism has been given, the name of the late Master 

 of Trinity must occupy a foremost place. The words in which he 

 avows his opinion are remarkable, not only for their exquisite beauty, 

 but because they have a peculiar significance as almost the last utter- 

 ance of a great man. The passage w T hich follows a occurs in the third 

 of a series of sermons preached in the University Church at Cam- 

 bridge, in 1827. But it is curious to learn, from his "Memoirs," pub- 

 lished this year, that he again used the same words in his college 

 chapel just before his death : 



" Let us not deceive ourselves. Indefinite duration and gradual decay are 

 not the destiny of this universe. It will not find its termination only in the 

 imperceptible crumbling of its materials, or the clogging of its wheels. It steals 

 not calmly and slowly to its end. No ages of long and deepening twilight shall 

 gradually bring the last setting of the sun no mountains sinking under the 

 decrepitude of years, or weary rivers ceasing to rejoice in their courses, shall 

 prepare men for the abolition of this earth. No placid euthanasia shall silently 

 lead on the dissolution of the natural world. But the trumpet shall sound the 

 struggle shall come this goodly frame of things shall be rent and crushed by 

 the arm of its omnipotent Maker. It shall expire in the throes and agonies of 

 some fierce convulsion ; and the same hand which plucked the elements from 

 the dark and troubled slumbers of chaos shall cast them into their tomb, pushing 

 them aside that they may no longer stand between his face and the creatures 

 whom he shall come to judge." 



Holding these opinions, and believing as Prof. Whewell did that 

 1 "Sermons in the University Church at Cambridge, 18th February, 1827." 



