40 KEW HOLLAND IN EUROPE. 
between the two ; but a higher and more earnest one, one which touches 
the very marrow of the world's history. T shall show what part was 
played by that despised, decrepit, or scarcely born fifth quarter of the 
world, when the fate of the continents was decided for myriads of 
years. I shall show the venerable age of an island apparently cast 
aside as unimportant, and in what relation it stood to Europe,— if at 
that distant period we may speak of a continent of Europe. Finally, T 
will endeavour to prove, according to what grand and far-seeing plan 
the earth's surface was arranged in order to make not only room for 
the last born, but also supply the newly created with the means of ren- 
dering its existence subordinate to higher objects. In the time I speak 
of no decrepit Papuans wandered through the desolate and impoverished 
plains. When New Holland stood in the connection I allude to with 
Europe, the land was inhabited only by untamed animals, and the soil 
covered with plants, wild and luxuriant as they had issued from the 
hand of the Creator. The continent was youthful and vigorous, full 
of precious germs destined for distribution over the globe. 
In constructing history which goes beyond human chronology, we 
are dependent upon the archives preserved in the bowels of the earth. 
Their use, comparison, and unriddling, form the most important of 
those preliminary studies which lead us to the creation itself. In offer- 
ing myself as a guide, I must make a few explanatory remarks. When- 
ever we disturb the earth's surfoce, it is generally done to our advan- 
tage. We break stones, rlig for earths, get coal, salt, sulphur, ore, etc.. 
to enrich ourselves and make life comfortable. On such occasions 
it happened more than once, that along with the useful minerals 
objects came to light which not only excited our greatest surprise, 
but became, on closer examination, the surest basis for an acquaintance 
with the organisms of an entirely new world. The numerous shells 
bones, teeth, horns, and other remains, have thus made us acquainted 
with amraals no longer found among the existiuir Fauna. In the same 
way, a number of fossil or carbonified woods, leaves, fruit, and seeds 
have mtroduced us to a set of plants which no longer grow on the 
globe, search it in whatever direction we may. Bv the labour of many 
eminent men, these otherwise useless materials have been collected and 
arranged, and Palaeontology having thus been called into existence a 
desire has arisen to make them available for the history of the succes- 
sive geological epochs. Though the collections obtained from the 
