236 THE POPULAR SCIENCE MONTHLY. 



the principles of evolution. In the first volume of his " Natural His- 

 tory of Invertebrate Animals " * he gave his theory in detail ; and to- 

 day one can only read with astonishment his far-reaching anticipations 

 of modern science. These views were strongly supported by Geoifroy 

 Saint-Hilaire, but bitterly opposed by Cuvier ; and their great contest 

 on this subject is well known. 



In looking back from this point of view, the philosophical breadth 

 of Lamarck's conclusions, in comparison with those of Cuvier, is clear- 

 ly evident. The invertebrates on which Lamarck worked offered less 

 striking evidence of change than the various animals investigated by 

 Cuvier ; yet they led Lamarck directly to evolution, while Cuvier 

 ignored what Avas before him on this point, and rejected the proof 

 offered by others. Both pursued the same methods, and had an abun- 

 dance of material on which to work, yet the facts observed induced 

 Cuvier to believe in catastrophes, and Lamarck in the uniform course 

 of nature. Cuvier declared species to be permanent, Lamarck that 

 they were descended from others. Both men stand in the first rank 

 in science, but Lamarck was the prophetic genius half a century in 

 advance of his time, 



[To be continued. '\ 



THE BEGINNINGS OF GEOGEAPHICAL SCIENCE. 



By GEOKGE a. JACKSON. 



"^VTO other science has to-day so distinguished a patronage as that of 

 ^^ geography. In September, 1877, there convened at Brussels, in 

 a palace of the King of the Belgians, and at his invitation, a Congress 

 made up of the presidents of the leading geographical societies, and 

 the most distinguished geographical writers, and explorers, and patrons 

 of explorations, in the world. At that Congress was formed an associa- 

 tion, under the presidency of King Leopold II., which has for its object 

 the exploring, and opening up to science and civilization, of the whole 

 unknown territory of Central Africa. Branches of this organization 

 are formed in nearly all the nations of Europe, and are, as a rule, 

 under the direction of the royal houses. Mr. Stanley also, in his " Dark 

 Continent," makes hearty acknowledgment of encouragements and re- 

 wards received at royal hands. And as in these last days, so in the 

 first days of its history, royal patronage did much to promote geo- 

 graphical science. The very earliest knowledge of geography was 

 doubtless gained in a blind way, as men went to neighboring countries 

 in the pursuit of trade ; but Herodotus tells us that so far back as 640 



■*"Histoire naturelle des Animaux sans Vertebres," 7 vols., Paris, 1815-1822. 

 Second edition, 11 vols., 1835-1845. 



