402 THE FOSSILIFEROUS 
Read in the light of geologic history, with its irrefragable evi- 
dence of the often-repeated extinction of entire creations, these 
visitations of the age assume a peculiar significancy. But the 
subject is one which I must not pursue. The same time which, 
in its sure course, conducts both individuals and species to their 
last day, has brought round the last day of my occupancy of 
this chair. Accept, gentlemen, ere I leave it, my best thanks 
for the marked kindness and courtesy which I have on every 
occasion received at your hands, —for the tolerance which has 
overlooked my many shortcomings, — and for the attention and 
respect with which my various communications have been re- 
ceived. I trusted to have had the honor of resigning it to a gentle- 
man who, fifteen years ago, was one of the most active and zealous 
members of the Royal Physical Society ; and who had, since 
that time, achieved for himself in natural science in general, 
and in geology in especial, a reputation co-extensive with the 
civilized world.* But,alas! Death reigns. This distinguished 
man, in the full blow of his fame, and in the mature prime of 
vigorous manhood, has passed suddenly away ; and wherever 
in either hemisphere physical science is cultivated, or the bypast 
history of our globe excites the legitimate interest, his early 
death will be felt and deplored as a heavy loss. The spoiler 
has broken abruptly off many a train of ingenious thought, — 
cut short many a course of sedulous inquiry, —arrested, just ere 
its formation, many a profound induction, —and scattered hoards 
of unrecorded knowledge, the adequate re-gathering of which 
many years to come may fail to witness. But our idle regrets 
can neither restore the dead nor benefit the living. Let us 
rather manifest our regard for the memory of our illustrious 
brother, — taken so unexpectedly from among us, — by making 
his disinterested devotion to science our example, and by striv- 
* It had been proposed, at the previous meeting of the Society, to call 
to the vacant Presidential Chair the late Professor Edward Forbes. 
