138 ON THE METHOD OF ZADIG. [LECT- 



axiom on which it rests, the constancy of the order of 

 nature, being the common foundation of all scientific 

 thought. Indeed, if there can be grades in legitimacy, 

 certain branches of science have the advantage over 

 astronomy, in so far as their retrospective prophecies 

 are not only susceptible of verification, but are some- 

 times strikingly verified. 



Such a science exists in that application of the 

 principles of biology to the interpretation of the animal 

 and vegetable remains imbedded in the rocks which 

 compose the surface of the globe, which is called 

 Palaeontology. 



At no very distant time, the question whether 

 these so-called "fossils" were really the remains of 

 animals and plants was hotly disputed. Very learned 

 persons maintained that they were nothing of the 

 kind, but a sort of concretion, or crystallisation, which 

 had taken place within the stone in which they are 

 found ; and which simulated the forms of animal and 

 vegetable life, just as frost on a window-pane imitates 

 vegetation. At the present day, it would probably be 

 impossible to find any sane advocate of this opinion ; 

 and the fact is rather surprising, that among the people 

 from whom the circle -squarers, perpetual- mo tioners, 

 flat -earth men and the like, are recruited, to say 

 nothing of table-turners and spirit-rappers, somebody 

 has not perceived the easy avenue to nonsensical 

 notoriety open to any one who will take up the good 

 old doctrine, that fossils are all lusus iiaturce. 



The position would be impregnable, inasmuch as it 

 is quite impossible to prove the contrary. If a man 



