of Natural History to Geology and the Arts. 219 



committed in consequence of ignorance of science, but also are ex- 

 amples of the danger of inaccurate or fancied knowledge. In both 

 these cases the fossils were noticed, but, through ignorance of these 

 distinctions, altogether mistaken. 



There is much popular paleontology abroad, as likely to mislead 

 as to guide. The practical value of this section of natural history 

 depends upon its certainties, and not upon its uncertainties. In the 

 former class may be placed the determination which fossils afford of 

 the origin of rocks, whether they be marine or estuary or fresh- 

 water deposits ; of the relative ages of sedimentary strata ; of the 

 indications they give of the climate of different epochs ; of the in- 

 formation they contribute respecting the ancient physical geography 

 of our globe ; of the testimony they bear to the unity, harmony, 

 and benevolence of the Divine scheme of creation, — the same dur- 

 ing incalculably distant centuries of primeval time as now. 



Under the head of uncertainties may be ranked theories of trans- 

 mutation of species ; of progression towards perfection ; of universal 

 diffusion of species at ancient epochs ; of the retrograde develop- 

 ment of animal and vegetable forms in time ; of original perfection 

 and subsequent degeneration ; of original generalisation of specific 

 types, and subsequent specification ; of differences in the physiolo- 

 gical habits of creatures anciently and now. All these notions are 

 hypothetically or theoretically advocated, more or less, by men of 

 science at the present day. All of them, it seems to me, are at 

 best inductions from insufficient data. They may or may not be 

 true, but at present, as we may see by a glance at the comparative 

 extent of our knowledge of existing and extinct forms, we are not in 

 tt condition to come to a decision on the important questions they in- 

 volve. 



The collections of fossils displayed in the cabinets of this Museum 

 are highly illustrative of the great truths of geology, and are ar- 

 ranged so as to convey instruction on the fundamental principles of 

 the science. The fossils of each formation — in stricter language, 

 the creatures of each epoch in the Preadamic history of the earth's 

 formation — are grouped together, and each group is displayed in 

 strict geological sequence, in order of superposition of strata. 

 Whoever studies these collections carefully may gain a clear concep- 

 tion of the nature of the proofs afforded by natural history of the 

 vast duration of the earth, and the series of epochs, each charac- 

 terised by a distinct creation of organised beings, that have preceded 

 the present condition of animated nature. 



Although in the commencement of our educational efforts we can 

 scarcely hope to embrace all the subjects that spring out of the ar- 

 rangements of this Institution, it behoves us to look forward to the 

 utilization in other directions than that of geological science, even 

 of its natural history resources. There is a great blank yet un- 

 filled in the teaching of the numerous applications which may be 



