2 THEORY OF THE EARTH. 



and, lastly, to compare them with those which 

 now live at the surface of the glohe : an art al- 

 most unknown, and which presupposed a science 

 whose first developments had scarcely yet heen 

 traced, that of the laws which regulate the co- 

 existence of the forms of the different parts in 

 organised beings. I had therefore to prepare my- 

 self for these inquiries, by others of a far more 

 extensive kind, respecting the animals which still 

 exist. Nothing, except an almost complete review 

 of creation in its present state, could give a cha- 

 racter of demonstration to the results of my in- 

 vestigation into its ancient state ; but, from this 

 review, I had at the same time to expect a great 

 body of rules and affinities not less satisfactorily 

 demonstrated ; and it became obvious, that, in 

 consequence of this essay upon a small portion of 

 the theory of the earth, the whole animal king- 

 dom would necessarily be in some measure sub- 

 jected to new laws. 



Thus I was encouraged in this twofold investi- 

 gation, by the equal interest which it promised 

 to possess, both with regard to the general science 

 of anatomy, the essential basis of all those which 

 treat of organised bodies, and with regard to the 

 physical history of the globe, the foundation of 

 mineralogy, geography, and even, it may be said, 

 of the history of Man, and of all that it most con- 

 cerns him to know with regard to himself. 



