BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH. Hii 



yoii'and I possess eyes and ears, and have a living existence. The dif- 

 ference merely is, that the evidence is not of the same nature. The 

 one is complete ; the other fragmentary, but equally significant and 

 strong. For instance, a tooth, or the end of a joint found in a rock, is 

 us conclusive evidence of the former existence of an animal, as if all the 

 structure — skin, flesh, blood, and living limbs — were before us. The 

 only difference is, that in the one case the evidence is cumulative and 

 complete in every detail ; while in the other it is fragmentary and in- 

 ductive; but it is equally clear and conclusis^e in both. For the 

 Almighty has so ordained that reason can safely reproduce all that has 

 been lost, and restore to the tooth all that was correlative to it in life. 

 But, remember that what I have said here bears solely upon our know- 

 ledge of the physical world, and not to doctrines of faith for our moral 

 and religious guidance.' 



Lovers of science and they wlio knew Falconer well can 

 best appreciate his penetrating and discriminating judgment, 

 his originality of observation and depth of thought, his 

 extraordinary memory, his fearlessness of opposition when 

 truth was to be evolved, the scrupulous care with which he 

 awarded to every man his due, and his honest and powerful 

 advocacy of that cause which his strong intellect led him to 

 adopt. They have also occasion to deplore the death of a 

 staid adviser, a genial companion, and a hearty friend. 



