thi^mselves men in all their liabits, and to assume an air of 

 iuilcpendence, not favourable eitlier to their manners or morals, 

 l>i3fore they are much more than half grown up. 



►Such are the points of chief interest coiniected with the 

 diggings for these phospluxtic nodules in the Eastern Counties,, 

 relating, however, more especially to Cambridgeshire. How 

 long these operations may continue to be carried on, it is 

 impossible to say. Immense tracts of land in the neighbourhood 

 of Cambridge, reaching in some places quite to the borders of the 

 county, have now been turned over, and of course the diggings 

 must one day have an end. But with the future I have nothing 

 to do. I have simply attempted to give you, as far as my 

 information goes, some idea of what has been now, for several 

 years back, going on in that part of England ; and I think, as 

 originating under the circumstances I alluded to at the beginning 

 of my lecture, the story of these nodules is not uninstructive nor 

 entirely without a moral. 



It impresses ns with a sense of the vast and important residts 

 following, in some cases, from what might be considered trifling 

 and unimportant incidents. It hints to us what may arise out 

 of an accidental discovery — or, as in this instance, a mere 

 Huggestion — founded upon thoughtful observation and experiment, 

 but thrown out at hazard, in the uncertainty Avhether if acted 

 upon it would be found to answer or not. Professor Henslow 

 saw clearly to what purposes these Crag and Green-sand nodules 

 might be applied, provided only they brought in a sufficient 

 remuneration for the cost and labour of procuring them. This 

 ho left to be ascertained by others. And with what results we 

 have seen. 



Naturalists are not unfrequently taunted with the question 

 — Cut bono ? Of what use all this close looking at objects which 

 the world in general neither knows nor cares anything about 1 

 This picking at rocks — collecting rare specimens — and analysing 

 with such nicety and precision their structure and quality 1 



