SKETCH OF WILLIAM PENGELLY. 113 



so-called childbearing period, is so scientifically deducible that it 

 may be for all practical purposes considered as axiomatic. The way 

 to have healthy, long-lived, and happy children is for parents to 

 be healthful and intelligently careful themselves; while the whole 

 science of health must eventually consist in the science of such sym- 

 metrical and high development as will enable individuals to endure 

 necessary strain, resist disease, and rapidly and fully recover from 

 accident and infection. 



SKETCH OF WILLIAM PE^GELLY. 



THE name of "William Pengelly is most closely associated with the 

 explorations of caves in England containing relics of men to- 

 gether with the remains of extinct animals, the results of which, con- 

 firming similar conclusions that had been reached in France, con- 

 vinced English geologists of man's extreme antiquity. Speaking of 

 him at the time of his death as one of the last survivors of the heroes 

 who laid the foundation of geological science, Prof. T. G. Bonney 

 said, " He has left behind an example of what one man can do in 

 advancing knowledge by energy and perseverance." 



WILLIAM PENGELLY was born at East Looe, a fishing village in 

 Cornwall, England, January 12, 1812, and died in Torquay, March 

 16, 1894. The name of Pengelly is not uncommon in Cornwall, 

 and has figured in English history among others, in the person of 

 Sir Thomas Pengelly, who was chief baron of the exchequer, and 

 left certain sums for the discharge of debtors from the jails of Bod- 

 min and Launceston. His father was captain of a small coasting ves- 

 sel, and he acquired a strong attachment to the sea. He was sent 

 to the Dame's School in his native village when very young, and 

 before he was five years old had made so rapid progress that his 

 mother applied to the master of a school for larger boys to receive 

 him as a pupil. The master declined to take him, but, hearing 

 him reading as he passed the door of the house not long afterward, 

 concluded to grant the mother's request. At school he soon gained 

 such a reputation for scholarship that the boys made him spend all 

 his play hours helping them in their lessons. His school days ended 

 when he was twelve years old, and he accompanied his father to sea, 

 making, however, voyages that were seldom more than three days 

 long, most of the work of which consisted in taking in and taking out 

 cargo. The sailors soon discovered his clerkly gifts and employed 

 him to write their letters, but did not so well appreciate his excellent 

 conversational powers. On " tailoring days " it was understood that 

 his clothes should be repaired for him, while he read aloud for the 

 general benefit, and the sailors would amuse themselves by finding 

 VOL. LV. 9 



