496 P. A. ØYEN [19U 



Naar vi skuer tilbake paa det organiske livs utviklingshistorie 

 i den kvartære tid, saa kan vi nok paa denne anvende den 

 amerikanske forfatters ord: it is now possible to get a good 

 idea of the ancient history of animal life on our earth. It should 

 humble us »lords of creation«. Like the older Agassiz, we should 

 uncover our heads when we enter a paleontological museum, 

 for we stand in the presence of the wonderful works of the 

 crealor« (Trans. Kansas Academy of Science, Vol. XX, P. I, 1906, 

 pag. 71). Men vi bør samtidig erindre lord Kelvin's ord, naar 

 han liketil sier: \Mathematics and dynamics fail us when we 

 contemplate the earth, fitted for life but lifeless, and try to imagine 

 the commencement of life upon it. This certainlj' did not take 

 place by any action of chemistry, or electricity, or crystalline 

 grouping of molecules under the influence of force, or by any 

 possible kind of fortuitous concourse of atoms. We must pause, 

 face to face with the mystery and miracle of the creation of 

 living creatures« (Smithsonian Report for 1897, pag. 357). Men 

 med den begrensning, som ligger i begrensningen af den menne- 

 skelige erkjendelse selv, kan man med en amerikansk forfatter 

 si: »The beautiful laws of evolution have opened to us the 

 laboratories of God, where all things will in time be revealed< 

 (Trans. Kan.sas Academy of Science, Vol. XXI, P. I, 1908, pag. 

 206). Og med den samme forfatter vil vi si: »Let us therefore 

 stand with unsandaled feet, thankful for what we have been 

 allowed to learn, but deeply humble for the ignorance that still 

 oppresses us«. 



Kristiania universitet 19fflo. 



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