312 THE STORY OF THE EARTH AND MAN. 



ing given to it by certain prominent cliques and 

 parties. 



Geology as a science is at present in a peculiar and 

 somewhat exceptional state. Under tlie influence of 

 a few men of commanding genius belonging to tbe 

 generation now passing away, it has made so gigantic 

 conquests that its armies have broken up into bands 

 of specialists, little better than scientific banditti, 

 liable to be beaten in detail, and prone to commit 

 outrages on common sense and good taste, which 

 bring their otherwise good cause into disrepute. 

 The leaders of these bands are, many of them, goodk 

 soldiers, but few of them fitted to be general officers, 

 and none of them able to reunite our scattered de- 

 tachments. We need larger minds, of broader cul- 

 ture and wider sympathies, to organise and rule the 

 lands which we have subdued, and to lead on to 

 further conquests. 



In the present state of natural science in Britain, 

 this evil is perhaps to be remedied only by providing 

 a wider and deeper culture for our young men. Few 

 of our present workers have enjoyed that thorough 

 training in mental as well as physical science, which 

 is necessary to enable men even of great powers to 

 take large and lofty views of the scheme of nature. 

 Hence we often find men who are fair workers in 

 limited departments, reasoning most illogically, taking 

 narrow and local views, elevating the exception into 

 the rule, led away by baseless metaphysical subtleties, 

 quarrelling with men who look at their specialties 



