32 



MEMOIR II. 



I FEEL considerable encouragement to 

 proceed in my views, both from the attention 

 with wliich you distinguished me, and from a 

 reasonable confidence that you are conscious of 

 the diificulties so arduous an undertaking must 

 be exposed to meet. You have the goodness 

 to consider, that it is not with the sciences as it 

 is with the arts. Aided by genius, a Titian or 

 an Angelo, can at one (light reach the summit 

 of his art ; but whatever capacity you allow 

 to a naturalist, still, in the wastes of science, 

 he can only advance step by step. In his Avay 

 he has absurdities to engage, and prejudices to 

 conquer, which require faculties not always at 

 command, and at a time perhaps otherwise to 

 be employed. The principal obstructions 

 which are to be met with in this investicration 

 arise out of the variety of opinions which it • 

 has hitherto given birth to. It is necessary to 

 review them. 



Those stupendous remains, as I observed 



