328 LECTURE XI. 



Our table embraces only the earliest appearance of Kuman 

 remains in Belgium^ the north of France^ and the south of 

 England^ phenomena which are well attested. The animal 

 worldj which is associated with man in the pile-buildings of 

 Switzerland, for instance, leaves no doubt that man settled in 

 these regions at a much later date, where, as proved by the 

 caves of Besanpon and in Appenzell, the cave-bear existed, 

 which in Belgium was the contemporary of man. We have 

 thus, in the earliest geological period of man, some indications 

 of the migrations and spread of mankind ; for this much at 

 least results from the skulls found, that the oldest human re- 

 mains found in Switzerland belong to a different race, which 

 cannot have immigrated from Belgium. 



In whatever way we examine the facts, we are constantly 

 led to the inference that the so-called diluvial period lasted an 

 incalculably long time, during which considerable elevations 

 and subsidences of land and sea, and many alterations of the 

 surface of the globe and its inhabitants, plants and animals, 

 took place both in restricted localities and large districts. 



That man appeared in our hemisphere only in the course of 

 this long period, and that, hitherto, no traces have been found 

 of man's earlier appearance is an admitted fact; but whether man 

 appeared before, or after the last glacial extension on our conti- 

 nent is stiU an open question. After a careful examination of the 

 facts, we adhere to the latter alternative, as we have only found 

 proofs of man's appearance after the great glacial period, after 

 the formation of the glacial clay in Scandinavia, England, and 

 Switzerland. We are, however, quite ready to abandon this 

 position, and to assume a greater antiquity of man, as soon as 

 human remains are found under the glacial clay or under 

 undisturbed tertiary strata. 



This difference of opinion renders man chronologically nei- 

 ther older nor younger. Whether, or not, an intermediate glacial 

 period occurred, an immense period of time was requisite to 

 heap up drift thirty feet high above the worked flints, specially 

 as this accumulation proceeds but very slowly. 



We must confess that all the efforts hitherto made to deter- 

 mine the period in time of man's first appearance have hitherto 

 been unsuccessful. We must, however, mention them, though 



