12 ON THE METHOD OF ZADIG I 



all; the fundamental axiom on which it rests, 

 the constancy of the order of nature, being the 

 common foundation of all scientific thought. 

 Indeed, if there can be grades in legitimacy, 

 certain branches of science have the advantage 

 over astronomy, in so far as their retrospective 

 prophecies are not only susceptible of verification, 

 but are sometimes strikingly verified. 



Such a science exists in that application of the 

 principles of biology to the interpretation of the 

 animal and vegetable remains imbedded in the 

 rocks which compose the surface of the globe, 

 which is called Palaeontology. 



At no very distant time, the question whether 

 these so-called " fossils," were really the remains 

 of animals and plants was hotly disputed. Very 

 learned persons maintained that they were 

 nothing of the kind, but a sort of concretion, or 

 crystallisation, which had taken place within 

 the stone in which they are found ; and which 

 simulated the forms of animal and vegetable life, 

 just as frost on a window-pane imitates vegetation, 

 At the present day, it would probably be impossi- 

 ble to find any sane advocate of this opinion ; and 

 the fact is rather surprising, that among the 

 people from whom the circle-squarers, perpetual- 

 motion ers, flat- earth men and the like, are 

 .recruited, to say nothing of table-turners and 

 spirit -rappers, somebody has not perceived the 

 easy avenue to nonsensical notoriety open to any 



