24 INTRODUCTORY. 



Again, a science that opens up so muc]i of the Past, that 

 reveals so many new forms of life and organisation, cannot 

 fail to have an exalting effect as a purely intellectual exer- 

 cise. The anatomical reasonings the skill required to re- 

 construct such scattered fragments the detection of means 

 to an end all this, and much more that must readily suggest 

 itself to the thinking mind, cannot fail to stamp Palaeon- 

 tology as one of the highest themes that can engage en- 

 lightened intelligence. Nor is the neAV light which its 

 deductions have thrown on other branches of natural science 

 among the least of its claims to general attention. The re- 

 vivifying, as it were, of so many extinct forms of existence 

 has given a new significance to the science of Life ; and 

 henceforth no view of the vegetable or animal kingdoms 

 can lay claim to a truly scientific character that does not 

 embody the discoveries of the palaeontologist. In fact, so 

 inseparably woven into ONE GREAT SYSTEM are all fossil 

 forms with those now existing, that we cannot treat of the 

 one without considering the other ; and can never hope to 

 arrive at a knowledge of Creative Law by any method 

 which, however accurate as regards the one, is not equally 

 careful and accurate as regards the other. Furthermore, 

 connected as the whole phases of external nature are into 

 one beautiful COSMOS, the mind that remains in ignorance 

 of their history can form but a very imperfect, if not an 

 altogether erroneous, notion of its own relationship and 

 connection therewith. For, while the scope of human 

 duty is circumscribed by our relations to external nature, 

 by our relations to our fellow-men, and by our relations to 

 God, a knowledge of these relations as manifested in the 

 great scheme of Creation is altogether indispensable. In 

 the eloquent language of our motto " So long as we are 

 ignorant of these things, the perfect development of the 

 human mind cannot be hoped for or even conceived. "With- 



