SIR CHARLES LYELL, BART. 1'iT 



geologist and those who study natural history or 

 physics stand in equal need of mutual assistance. A 

 comparative anatomist may derive some accession of 

 knowledge from the bare inspection of the remains oi 

 an extinct quadruped, but the relic throws much greater 

 light upon his own science, when he is informed to what 

 relative era it belonged, what plants and animals weiv 

 its contemporaries, in what degree of latitude it once 

 existed, and other historical details. A fossil shell may 

 interest a conchologist, though he be ignorant of the 

 locality from which it came ; but it will be of more 

 value when he learns with what other species it was 

 associated, whether they were marine or fresh-water, 

 whether the strata containing them were at a certain 

 elevation above the sea, and what relative position they 

 held in regard to other groups of strata, with niany 

 other particulars determinable by an experienced 

 geologist alone. On the other hand, the skill of the 

 comparative anatomist and conchologist are often 

 indispensable to those engaged in geological research, 

 although it will rarely happen that the geologist will 

 himself combine these different qualifications in his own 

 person. 



"Some remains of former organic beings, like the 

 ancient temple, statue, or picture, may have both their 

 intrinsic and their historical value, while there are 

 others which can never be expected to attract atten- 

 tion for their own sake. A painter, sculptor, or 

 architect would often neglect many ourioufl relies 

 of antiquity as devoid of beauty and uninstruotive 

 with relation to their own art, however illustrative 



