306 MAN OF SCIENCE. 



the outset that the Old Red Sandstone formation had 

 been hitherto considered as remarkably barren in fossils ; 

 that a continental geologist, in tabulating the various 

 formations, had appeared to omit this one altogether ; 

 and that Lyell, whose standard work on the Elements 

 of Geology had been issued two years previously, had 

 devoted but two and a half pages to its description. 

 He could add that he had ' a hundred solid proofs ' 

 lying close to his elbow, that the fossils of the system 

 are ' remarkably numerous/ Nor were they less strange 

 than they were abundant. ' The figures on a Chinese 

 vase or an Egyptian obelisk are scarce more unlike what 

 now exists in nature than the fossils of the lower Old 

 Red Sandstone/ They seemed to be products of 

 ' nature's apprenticeship/ 



The importance of the Old Red Sandstone, as part 

 of the geological record, had begun to be surmised by 

 naturalists ; and remarks like these were fitted to 

 awaken the curiosity of the general public. The ear of 

 the world, therefore, was open for the word which Hugh 

 Miller could speak. Before September had closed, his 

 reputation as a geologist was made. On the 23rd day 

 of that month the British Association for the Advance- 

 ment of Science held its annual meeting.. In the 

 Geological Section, Mr Lyell in the chair, Miller's dis- 

 coveries were brought under the attention of leading 

 geologists. Mr Murchison, now Sir Roderick, spoke in 

 terms of high eulogy of his perseverance and ingenuity 

 in the geological field, declared that he had raised him- 

 self to a position which any man might envy, pointed to 

 the specimens forwarded by him to London, and invited 

 M. Agassiz to describe the class to which they belonged. 

 The distinguished Erenchman followed in a similar 

 strain, and proposed to name one of the most remarkable 



