2 HISTORICAL SKETCH. [CH. 



of fossil plants, as well as a good exposition of the views held 

 at the beginning of this century. 



As a means of bringing into relief the modern development 

 of the science of fossil plants, we may briefly pass in review 

 some of the earlier writers, who have concerned themselves in a 

 greater or less degree with a descriptive or speculative treatment 

 of the records of a past vegetation. In the early part of the 

 present century, and still more in the eighteenth century, the 

 occurrence of fossil plants and animals in the earth's crust 

 formed the subject of animated, not to say acrimonious, 

 discussion. The result was that many striking and ingenious 

 theories were formulated as to the exact manner of for- 

 mation of fossil remains, and the part played by the waters 

 of the deluge in depositing fossiliferous strata. The earlier 

 views on fossil vegetables are naturally bound up with the 

 gradual evolution of geological science. It is from Italy that 

 we seem to have the first glimmering of scientific views; 

 but we are led to forget this early development of more 

 than three hundred years ago, when we turn to the writings 

 of English and other authors of the eighteenth century. 

 "Under these white banks by the roadside," as a writer on 

 Verona has expressed it, '' was born, like a poor Italian gipsy, 

 the modem science of geology." Early in the sixteenth century 

 the genius of Leonardo da Vinci ^ compelled him to adopt 

 a reasonable explanation of the occurrence of fossil shells in 

 rocks far above the present sea-level. Another Italian writer, 

 Fracastaro, whose attention was directed to this matter by the 

 discovery of numerous shells brought to light by excavations 

 at Verona, expressed his belief in the organic nature of the 

 remains, and went so far as to call in question the Mosaic 

 deluge as a satisfactory explanation of the deposition of fossil- 

 bearing strata. 



The partial recognition by some observers of the true 

 nature of fossils marks the starting point of more rational 

 views. The admission that fossils were not mere sports 

 of nature, or the result of some wonderful 'vis lapidifica,' 



1 For an account of the early views on fossils, v. Lyell (67), Vol. i. Vide 

 also Leonardo da Vinci (83). 



