CHAP. XXXVII.] GEOLOGICAL TRUTHS. 315 



startling, and so opposed to popular prepossessions, 

 that they drew down much obloquy upon their pro- 

 mulgators, who incurred the censures not only of the 

 multitude, but also of some of the Roman Catholic 

 and Lutheran clergy. The social persecution was 

 even carried so far as to injure professionally the 

 practice of some medical men, who had given pub 

 licity to the obnoxious doctrines. Several of the 

 ministers of the Lutheran church, who had studied 

 for years in German universities, were too well in 

 formed not to believe in the conclusions established 

 by geologists, respecting the immensity of past time 

 and former vicissitudes, both in animal and vegetable 

 life ; but although taking a lively interest in disco 

 veries made at their own door, and joining in the 

 investigations, they were compelled by prudence to 

 conceal their opinions from their congregations, or 

 they would have lost all influence over them, and 

 might perhaps have seen their churches deserted. 

 Yet by maintaining silence in deference to the 

 opinions of the more ignorant, they become, in some 

 degree, the instruments of countenancing error ; nay, 

 they are rearing up the rising generation to be, in 

 their turn, the persecutors of many of their contem 

 poraries, who may hereafter be far in advance in their 

 scientific knowledge. 



&quot; To nothing but error,&quot; says a popular writer of 

 our times, &quot; can any truth be dangerous ; and I know 

 not,&quot; lie exclaims, &quot; where else there is seen so altc- 

 gether tragical a spectacle, as that religion should be 

 found standing in the highways, to say, Let no 

 man learn the simplest laws of the universe, lest they 



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