69 



Ten of these seams had erect trees of sigUlaria standing up out of them as they 

 grew, and remained preserved in the sandstone, to the height of six or ei«ht feet 

 above the coal, but one trunk was 25 feet high and 4 feet in diameter S^ Wm 

 Logan afterwards, making a more detailed survey of this line of cMs, found ee^ 

 trees at 17 different levels, extending through a vertical thickness of 4 51. feet 

 and he estimated the total thickness there of the carboniferous formation, with 

 and without coal, at no less than 14,570 feet. Dr. Dawson and Sir C. Lyell after- 

 wards examined a portion of these strata 1,400 feet thick, where the coal seams 

 are most frequent, and found evidence of root-bearing soils at G8 <^^ff-ent level 

 Remember that each of these root-bearing soUs must (after vegetation and t.ees 

 had grown long on it) have been submerged, and beds of sand or mud have been 

 deposited upon it. destroying the life of its vegetation, but preservmg evidence o 

 its former existence for our information. After one or more beds had been thuB 

 deposited upon it, the surface had again got above the water, which enabled 

 another crop of vegetation to grow, this again being submerged, after trees rom 

 four to five feet thick had giown upon it, and thus successively throughout the 



whole series. . , t. x v.-^u 



Looking, then, at the fossil evidence I have brought before you, about which 

 there can be no mistake, and at the immense thickness and numbers of the beds, 

 am I not justified in telling you that inconceivable ages must have elapsed since 

 life made its first appearance on the earth, or beneath its waters? And does it not 

 also justify my parallel of Geology with Astronomy, which shews us by means of 

 the stars, immeasurable distances, as the telescope opens out to our view remoter 

 and remoter orbs ? And who shall tell us that this study of the infinite works of 

 our Creator, and the wonderful adaptation of all His handywork to the wants of 

 His creatures, does not tend to make us revere His power and bless His goodness? 

 No revelation can more unmistakeably make known to us our Almighty and bene- 

 ficent Father than that which His own finger has written in His works. The text 

 remains there perpetually for our use, and though it may be temporaiily mis- 

 understood, it can never be permanently perverted by any mis-transcnption or 

 mis-translation. 



The paper was much applauded, though the patience of the lecturer must 

 surely have been greatly tried, for in the middle of it the missing hampers began 

 to arrive, and it was not in the nature of aU his hearers to remain patient unto 

 the end. 



Saponapia Vaccaria 



