50 The Founders of Geology LECT. 



allowed himself no hypothesis or theory. He would not 

 travel beyond the positive facts and the inferences that 

 might be legitimately deduced from them. Dealing with 

 the correspondence between the material forming the oppo- 

 site cliffs of the two countries (which had already been 

 pointed out by Guettard), and with the form of the 

 bottom of the shallow strait, he passed on to consider the 

 former prevalence in England of many noxious wild 

 animals, which could not have swum across the sea, and 

 which man would certainly have taken care not to intro- 

 duce. From a review of all the considerations which the 

 subject presented, he drew the inference that a neck of 

 land must once have connected England and France, and 

 that this isthmus was eventually cut through by the strong 

 currents of the North Sea. 



This essay, so different in tone from the imaginative 

 discourses of Buffon, attracted the attention of D'Alembert, 

 and led him to seek the acquaintance of its author. The 

 friendship of this great man was itself a fortune, for it 

 meant an introduction into the most learned, intelligent, 

 and influential society of the day. Desmarest was soon 

 actively employed in tasks for which his knowledge and 

 capacity were found to fit him, and thenceforth his struggle 

 with poverty came to an end. Among those who be- 

 friended him, the young Due de la Eochefoucault was 

 especially helpful, taking him on his travels and enabling 

 him to see much of France and Italy. 



Shortly after the middle of last century, the Govern- 

 ments of Europe, wearied with ruinous and profitless wars, 

 began to turn their attention towards the improvement of 

 the industries of their peoples. The French Government 



