PALAEONTOLOGY ITS USES. 23 



itself in the light of an exalting intellectual exercise ; or, 

 combining both these qualities, does it lead to sounder and 

 more ennobling views of our relationship to God and Crea- 

 tion ? If it does neither, it is no true science, and stands 

 unworthy to be ranked with the legitimate subjects of 

 intellectual research. Luckily, however, it does all, and 

 recommends itself, as it were, instinctively to the inquiring 

 and reflective mind. Guided by its deductions, the identi- 

 fication of rock formations, which was formerly in a great 

 measure a matter of hap-hazard, is now a certainty. Fifty 

 years ago the miner and engineer had little to direct them 

 in their researches, save the very variable tints of colour, the 

 structure, or other external aspects of rock-masses. ISTow, 

 however, a fossil branch, a tooth, or a few scattered fish- 

 scales, will enable them to identify with certainty strata in 

 distant localities, and so save years of unnecessary toil and 

 thousands of useless expenditure. There is, for instance, 

 in Britain a red sandstone beneath, and a red sandstone 

 above, our most valuable coal-fields so like in many re- 

 spects, that which is which mere mineral characteristics 

 cannot always determine. Shall we ignorantly dig through 

 the one for that mineral fuel which never lies beneath it ; 

 or shall we, mistaking the other, maintain that it is folly to 

 pierce through its strata ? Where the mere mineralogist 

 stands perplexed, the palaeontologist proceeds in the con- 

 fidence of certainty, from the detection of a HoloptycMan 

 fish-scale which stamps the existence of the Old Red, or 

 the discovery of a tiny Palceonwcus which is equally decisive 

 of the New. Exalted as may be the task of solving the 

 physical and vital problems of the globe, the duty of turn- 

 ing to account its mineral and metallic treasures is not less 

 worthy or important. Science acquires fresh power and 

 position when combined with practice ; Philosophy new 

 dignity when ministering to Humanity. 



