48 THE PEOGRESS AND SPIRIT OF 



methods of sound and careful induction. This science has 

 given us deeper insight into the natural history of our globe 

 than any other can supply ; and, taking order of succession 

 as its basis of enquiry, has furnished more certain means, 

 through fossil remains, of identifying strata in distant parts 

 of the earth's surface, and what is a far higher attainment, of 

 determining the forms of organic life, during ages long ante- 

 rior to all human calculation of time. This is not merely 

 a new branch of knowledge, but almost an ingress into a new 

 world. Nor can it in any sense be deemed a stationary 

 science ; while vast regions still remain wholly unexplored ; 

 and while occupied, as it continually is, not solely in disco- 

 vering new fossil species, but with the higher object of 

 determining the origin and succession, in the series of rocks, 

 of those typical forms of life which have descended to the 

 Fauna and Flora of our own day. 



This subject of Palaeontology is indeed allied in every 

 part with the present history and physiology of animal and 

 vegetable life ; that great domain of knowledge which, 

 though closely encircled round by physical laws and phe- 

 nomena, and approached only through these, has still a secret 

 region within, the origin and principle of life itself, 

 hitherto inaccessible by any method of human enquiry. It 

 was our design to have included Physiology among the 

 several subjects of this article ; as illustrating not less than 

 other branches of science in some points even more 

 strikingly the advances made in actual knowledge, and the 

 spirit which impels and animates to further research. While 

 admitting that this spirit has sometimes run riot upon 

 questions, the very mystery of which invites and emboldens 

 speculation, we find true inductive science moving steadily 

 onwards amidst these more erratic courses, to those truths 

 the /crfjfjLa ss asi which are the certain reward of all 

 legitimate inquiry. So much, however, has recently been 



