PROGRESS OF PHYSICAL GEOLOGY. 647 



most of them we do not trace this character. Or 

 rather, the portions of the labours of geologists 

 which do merit this praise, belong to the two pre- 

 ceding divisions of the subject, and have been treated 

 of there. 



The history of Physical Geology, considered as 

 the advance towards a science as real and stable as 

 those which we have already treated of (and this is 

 the form in which we ought to trace it), hitherto 

 consists of few steps. We hardly know whether 

 the progress is begun. The history of Physical 

 Astronomy almost commences with Newton, and 

 few persons will venture to assert that the Newton 

 of Geology has yet appeared. 



Still, some examination of the attempts which 

 have been made is requisite, in order to explain 

 and justify the view which the analogy of scientific 

 history leads us to take, of the state of the subject. 

 Though far from intending to give even a sketch of 

 all past geological speculations, I must notice some 

 of the forms such speculations have at different 

 times assumed. 



Sect. 2. Of Fanciful Geological Opinions. 



REAL and permanent geological knowledge, like all 

 other physical knowledge, can be obtained only by 

 inductions of classification and law from many 

 clearly seen phenomena. The labour of the most 

 active, the talent of the most intelligent, are re- 



