210 LIFE OF BENJAMIN SILLIMAN. 



much less life and reason or even instinct. I am, there- 

 fore, much gratified by your opinion and that of Sir J. H. 

 Those remarks on the nebular theory, also, fall in with some 

 difficulties which have attended it in my mind. We speak 

 of resolving nebulae by the power of the telescope. Every 

 addition to the power of this instrument resolves some new 

 milky way into clusters of stars. (See the observations 

 of South, quoted in the July number of the " American 

 Journal," on the glorious resolution of nebulae, by the tel- 

 escope of Lord Rosse.) Now, is it not supposable that the 

 powers of the telescope may be so far augmented, that no 

 nebulae will remain unresolved, and this beautiful white suf- 

 fusion will disappear to the mental eye ? Where then will 

 be the proof of the gaseous or diffused condition of mat- 

 ter ? Will it not be sustained by those comets above, which 

 permit the stars to be seen through their misty and myste- 

 rious haze ? But, perhaps, I only display my ignorance of 

 the nebular theory, having never studied it profoundly. . . . 

 I think Mr. Murchison promised me his work on Russia, 

 but I do not wish to have you jog his elbow ; nor Lyell's 

 either, although I have done the latter all the service in my 

 power, and with good will. The frequent disinterment of 

 the bones of unknown animals, or of those that only bear 

 some resemblance to existing races, goes to prove that geo- 

 logical evidence must be ever accumulating, and all these 

 facts range happily under established principles. You in- 

 quire about Mrs. Dana ; she remains with us, with her hus- 

 band, and will, I trust, for some years ; for several more 

 years must elapse before the great work which Mr. Dana 

 has in hand, can be finished, although he is a man of inde- 

 fatigable industry, and has a happy tact in throwing off his 

 work with expedition, with condensation, and in good taste. 

 Oh, how happy I should be to have you among us, iden- 

 ti!i-ii with our family ; but I suppose we must not indulge 

 such a thought. I believe I sent you, years ago, a copy 

 of my little tour to Quebec. That book opens with a de- 



