Eatoti's Geology. 85 



zeal and talents of Professor Silliman. Considering the many 

 difficulties he has had to contend with, and the vigour with which 

 he has kept the flag of science flying for so many years, we can 

 say, with all our hearts, that we believe he will be as gratefully 

 remembered hereafter for his pubhc zeal, as he is now cherished 

 for his private worth." If the writer has made palpable mis- 

 takes in any of the passages of that article, he knows where to 

 lay his linger upon them. 



The manner of General Van Renselaer's attack, is, as has 

 been stated, unexpected. Either that gentleman has become an 

 admirer of the casuistical tricks of hacknied disputants, or, what 

 is more probable, he has never read Mr. Eaton's geological text- 

 book, nor the review of it. Had he done so, he could not have 

 descended to an affected candour, and have seriously proposed, 

 that the writer should have examined " professor Eaton's views 

 with a little better spirit, and point end and correct the supposed 

 errors." Had he read those pages, he would have seen that this 

 had been most justly and rigorously done, and that in no instance 

 had the writer given into the base practice of attempting to in- 

 jure Mr. Eaton's reputation by inuendo ; but that in almost every 

 instance, the reprehended passages were quoted at full length, 

 or referred to. It would be as well for that gentleman too, to 

 know that Mr. Eaton in his preface to this very work, says, " / 

 heg the favour of iJie most rigorous criticism on this book, smalt as it 

 is." Severe as the article may appear, the terms " most rigorous" 

 by no means belong to it, as could be most easily shown, if it 

 should become indispensably necessary to recast it. 



Under all the circumstances of the case, it cannot but be felt as 

 a very difficult task, to satisfy General Van Renselaer, that he 

 has taken a wrong view of this matter. In his note, he candidly 

 says, " I am not a geologist myself." Now none but a geologist 

 can be made to comprehend how futile Mr. Eaton's labours have 

 been. What is to be done ? W^hy do men complain of refuta- 

 tions not satisfying them, when they won't read them ? Mr. Ea- 

 ton seems to be satisfied ; like good old Dogberry, finding there is 

 no remedy, he is willing to be written down without making any 

 fuss about it. Notwithstanding what General Van R. says of " the 

 assurances of many of our distinguished scientific men," it may be 

 asserted without fear of contradiction, that there is not an unbias- 

 sed geologist in this country, — and it is a matter of considerable 



