RELICS FROM THE WRECK 43 



that now exist ; and that consequently, the present struc- 

 ture and configuration of the earth is the offspring of a 

 vast antiquity. Of the myriads of living creatures, that 



" The earth has gathered to her breast again," 



r 



how few, comparatively, could even the transcendent genius 

 of Cuvier reveal! Finding, even in these restricted bounds, 

 the amplest proof of order and design, the mind is naturally 

 led to the sublimest inferences respecting what is unseen, 

 and even to the conception of a power and intelligence to 

 which we may well apply the term infinite ; since we not 

 only see no limit to the instances in which they are mani- 

 fested, but find, on the contrary, that they continually open 

 upon us in increasing abundance, in proportion as we are 

 enabled to extend our sphere of observation and inquiry ; 

 and that as the study of one prepares us to understand and 

 appreciate another, wonder follows on wonder, till our facul- 

 ties become bewildered in admiration, and our intellect 

 falls back on itself in utter hopelessness of arriving at an 

 end. 



In the tertiary rocks, the number of species of fossil 

 shells found is 2728. In the chalk rocks 500 in the 

 oolite 771 in the ne.w red sandstone 118 in the car- 

 boniferous rocks 336, and in the silurian and greywacke* 

 systems 349 ; making in all, 4832 different species. The 

 greater proportion of these are as perfect in their structure 

 as the living species. 



Such are the views of modern geologists with respect to 

 the age of our earth. Unfolding as they do the most evi- 

 dent traces of the continued exercise of s the creative power, 

 in the production of creatures from time to time fitted to 

 the existing physical conditions of the globe ; they offer 



* Greywacke, a name given to an indurated sandstone, belonging to 

 the slate rocks. 



