40 



modification ; and that the author of the hook, from whom 

 he dissented on various points, had not done himself justice in 

 connecting his views with certain philosophical principles, of 

 which they were independent. Several other gentlemen 

 favoured the Society with a statement of their opinions, 

 favourable or unfavourable, especially Dr. Brett, F.L.S., 

 Mr. Cunningham, F.G.S., Dr. Dickinson, F.L.S., Dr. 

 Inman, and Mr. Spencer. The Rev. A. Hume, LL.D., 

 defended his original criticism, and produced in support of 

 it, private letters from Professor Airey, the Earl of Eosse, 

 Mr. Murchison, Sir Henry De la Beche, Dr. Buckland, Mr. 

 Lyell, Dr. Mantell, and Mr. Bryce. The conclusion, irre- 

 sistible from so large an amount of valuable evidence, was, 

 first, that the author had been misled by some recent 

 imaginative writers on the subject of the Nebular hypothesis, 

 and second, that his views of progressive development in 

 Geology were totally at variance with the present state of 

 that science.* 



* The original paper, with the Discussions and the Correspondence, 

 was privately printed in a pamphlet form, and is already in the hands of 

 most of the Members. Accordingly, it has not been thought necessary to 

 give more than the above brief notice, on the present occasion. 



