256 Epitome of the Progress of JValural Science. 



and that the true way to identify them was by their imbedded fossils. 

 Thus did an unaided, and unpretending individual, arrive, by his 

 own sagacity, and laborious investigations, at the great funda- 

 mental truths of the geological structure of the planet, in a much 

 clearer manner than all the older geologists, Werner included. 

 His * Tabular View of the British Strata,' was published in 1790; 

 and in 1815 he published his great Geological Map of England, 

 which drew from D'Aubisson, one of Werner's most celebrated 

 pupils, the following distinguished tribute of admiration — " that 

 what many celebrated mineralogists had accomplished for a small 

 part of Germany in the course of half a century, had been effected by 

 a single individual for the whole of England."* 



The intemperance with which the controversies between the 

 Neptunists and V^ulcanists had been carried on, at length fatigued 

 all parties, and a re-action took place, of the most beneficial cha- 

 racter : a spirit of caution grew up, which rejected hypothesis 

 of every kind. The lovers of nature began, as it were, by com- 

 mon consent, to atone to her for the neglect she had received 

 by the past indulgence in so much speculative imagination. Men 

 began now to collect facts with great activity and scrupulous- 

 ness. The Geological Society of London, was established in 

 1807, for the purpose of multiplying and recording those facts. 

 Its success has been complete ; it has rescued geology from every 

 unfriendly prejudice, and has raised up a school of eminent men, 

 who, by their disinterested and active labours, have made Geo- 

 logy the most attractive and popular of all the sciences. In 1830, 

 the French naturalists, many of whose names we shall have oc- 

 casion to mention hereafter with all praise, perceiving the use- 

 fulness of the Geological Society of London, and the influence 

 which it was acquiring in Europe, established one in Paris, un- 

 der the title of " Societe Geologique de France." 



In this hasty sketch we have not ventured to speak of the la- 

 bours of Cuvier, and of the extent of the obligations which na- 

 tural history is under to him. Those labours are too extensive, 

 too minute, and of too universal a character ; his opinions too re- 

 markable for the judgment and sagacity of their author, to per- 

 mit any other expression of his merits, than that he is to this age 

 what Aristotle was to his own. 



We wish, in concluding this epitome, we could say that the 

 * See July number, page 29. 



