406 



CHAP. XX. 



On the geological Relations of the organic Fossils. 



OF all the appearances which the earth presents, no- 

 thing has excited more attention than the existence of 

 animal bodies in the strata ; while the air of mystery 

 which attended it stimulated curiosity, and may be 

 said to have laid the foundation of Geological science. 

 If the presence of animals, once submarine, in rocks 

 and on lofty mountains, was a cause of wonder and a 

 source of theories, so did the discovery of the bones 

 of large animals lead to the belief of pre-existing races 

 of giants, while, in both cases, philosophy, with 

 history, sacred and profane, were perverted to find ex- 

 planations. 



The increase of knowledge has given a very dif- 

 ferent complexion to this subject, and a more rational 

 direction to the pursuit. Yet the Geologist seems in 

 danger of forgetting that it is but one part of his 

 science. Its details belong to zoology and botany ; 

 and he loses sight of his main object when he pursues 

 these minutiae to the neglect of their more interesting 

 connexions with the history of the globe. Still more 

 deeply does he err, when he imagines that a theory 

 of the earth can be founded on what involves so small 

 a portion of its structure and history. It is doubtless, 

 essential to know these objects ; as, to arrange and 

 name them is the grammar of this department. But 

 it is unfortunately true, that whether the contempla- 

 tion of minutiae disables the mind for wider views, or 

 that only a minute mind can be engrossed by such 

 things, the power of profiting by collections and 

 their study, diminishes in proportion to their extent 



