XXVlll PROCEEDINGS OF THE GEOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 



has taken place since the period of that creation which Moses re- 

 cords, and of which Adam and Eve were the first inhabitants. The 

 certainty of an event of that kind would appear from the discoveries 

 of geologers, even if it were not declared by the sacred historian. 

 But we are not called upon to deny the possible existence of previous 

 worlds, from the wreck of which our globe was organized, and the 

 ruins of which are now furnishing matter to our curiosity. The be- 

 lief of their existence is indeed consistent with rational probability, 

 and somewliat confirmed by the discoveries of astronomy, as to the 

 plurality of worlds." The evidence of geology has in fact proved the 

 past occurrence of many convulsions, and there was therefore nothing, 

 a priori, unreasonable in assuming that one of those convulsions might 

 have been coeval with the Mosaic Deluge : the error, which, although 

 it had been repudiated by Linnseus, was the error of the age rather 

 than of the man, is that of supposing it necessary to vindicate geo- 

 logy by proving that this same deluge had been the cause of all the 

 disturbances and denudations observed ; and not ascribing them more 

 correctly to the convulsion itself, or at least to that variation in the 

 conditions of the earth's surface which at the same time led to the 

 destruction of many species of animals now extinct as well as of 

 many individuals of species still existing. 



But though Dr. Buckland, with a candour never exceeded, 

 abandoned at once his early and cherished opinions as regards the 

 geological proof of the Deluge, when farther examination and new 

 discoveries had convinced him of their fallacy, we may still quote 

 with admiration this Inaugural Lecture, published as it was under 

 the title of ' Vindicise Geologise,' for most ably and nobly did Dr. 

 Buckland defend geology and every other branch of science from the 

 narrow views of utilitarians, who would at once do away with the real 

 difference between Man and Beasts by confining the exercise of that 

 intellect which assimilates Man to the Deity to the mere gratification 

 of sensual wants, for which purpose the inferior endowment of In- 

 stinct is found sufficient in the ordinary animal creation. *' Now," 

 Dr. Buckland observes, *'if by utility is meant subserviency to 

 the common purposes of life (though it may be easily shown that 

 geology had shrunk from a comparison with few other sciences even 

 in this respect), yet such views should be altogether objected to in 

 limine as unworthy and unphilosophical. The claims of geology may 

 be made to rest on a much higher basis. The utility of science is 

 founded upon other and nobler views than those of mere pecuniary 

 profit and tangible advantage. The human mind has an appetite 

 for truth of every kind, physical as well as moral ; and the real utility 

 of science is to afford gratification to this appetite. The real ques- 

 tion then, more especially in this ])lace, ought surely to be, how far 

 the objects of geology are of sufficient interest and importance to be 

 worthy of this large and rational species of curiosity, and how far its 

 investigations are calculated to call into action the higher powers of 

 the mind." Dr. Buckland then proceeded to dwell on those wonder- 

 ful phenomena, organic and physical, which are the objects of a 

 geologist's study, and adds, *' surely these will be admitted to be ob- 



