ON COAL. 123 



worlds and their races. She teaches unmlstakeably that there has 

 been a gradual course of preparation for the present epoch ; that there 

 is an unity of plan in the whole system of time-worlds ; that, in a 

 certain sense, they are all satellites to ours ; that they are all bound 

 together by a force ; that force the plans of the Almighty, and its 

 centre the present epoch. Thus man becomes the centre of the 

 universe of time. Thus, also, by analogy we are led to suspect that 

 there may be a similar unity in the system of space-worlds also, 

 and that ours may, and probably does, enjoy a superiority, if not in 

 size at least in organization, and therefore in the intelligence of its 

 inhabitants. Thus man's dignity is restored, or rather, I should say, 

 dignity is given in place of pride. " Pride goeth before a fall," but 

 dignity comes after. 



But it will no doubt be objected by many that the position of a 

 science depends not only upon the dignity of its subjects, but also, in 

 no small degree, upon the certainty of its conclusions, and that, in 

 this respect, astronomy is far superior. But even this is a mistake, 

 the result of misconception. Even here the superiority of astronomy 

 has been very much exaggerated. Astronomy has its hypotheses and 

 uncertainties as well as geology ; and, on the other hand, geology has 

 its certainties as well as astronomy ; only it has happened, in this as 

 well as in many other cases, that the wisdom of age has given false 

 dignity to its errors and follies, while the wildness of youth has dis- 

 credited its wisdom. The certainties of astronomy have given an 

 appearance of truth to its wildest hypotheses, while the hypotheses of 

 geology have unjustly thrown some discredit upon her truest theories 

 and most certain iacts. The certainties of astronomy are the form, 

 size, weight, distance, and relative position of her space-worlds. Her 

 uncertainties are their physical geography, climate, and, more than 

 all, their inhabitants, animal and vegetable. The certainties of ge- 

 ology are the physical geography, climate, and, more than all, the 

 inhabitants, animal and vegetable, of her time-worlds, while her un- 

 certainties are their relative size and distance. It is seen, then, that 

 the certainties of the one are precisely the uncertainties of the other. 

 Which, then, are the nobler — the certainties of astronomy or those 

 of geology ? Is it more noble to know the relative size and position 

 of worlds in space and time or to be acquainted with the beings 

 which form their ciowning glory? It would carry me too far to pur- 

 sue this train of thought. Suffice it to say that, in either case, that 

 which was most important to know has been rendered most certain ; 

 while, also, in both cases, that which is most uncertain is also least 

 important to know. 



I have thought this long introduction necessary, because geology is 

 so constantly misunderstood. She is looked upon by some with sus- 

 picion, as wild in her speculations and uncertain in her conclusions ; 

 by others with indifference, as a mass of dry and unattractive detail ; 

 and by still others with positive dread, as tending to infidelity. I 

 deemed it necessary, therefore, to say a few words in vindication of 

 her high rank among the inductive sciences, both in respect to the 

 certainty of her conclusions, and, still more, the nobleness of her con- 

 ceptions and the absorbing interest of her subjects. . I miffht havje 



