president's address. 269 



the round-headed invaders were few in number comparatively, 

 and, so to speak, were merged into the conquered people. Have 

 we here a parallel case to the Slavs, who, for two centuries, 

 dominated the Morea, as recent historical research proves, and 

 yet are now undistinguishable from the modern Greek either in 

 features or language ? Humanum est errare ; of the which we 

 have a peculiar illustration in the great collection of crania lately 

 bequeathed to the Oxford museum ; a human skull having a jaw 

 attached, which the living subject would have very decidedly 

 objected to, because it was not his own. 



The great antiquity of the human occupation of Scandinavia 

 has been often sought to be demonstrated from the well-known 

 Sodertelje hut in Sweden ; but more accurate observation has 

 shown the evidence to be unreliable, and the date to be com- 

 paratively modern. 



These instances, which might be largely extended, I have 

 ventured to adduce, for a two-fold reason ; first, to exhibit even 

 thus incidentally the close connection which pre-historic arch- 

 geology has with several other sciences ; and, secondly, to pre- 

 sent some considerations that may enable us to weigh more 

 carefully the claims for the vast antiquity of the human race, so 

 often dogmatically asserted without suificient proof. After some 

 amount of careful study given to the subject, I have come to 

 the conclusion that, on this deeply-interesting question, there is 

 a dangerous tendency to unscientific and hasty generalization on 

 the old principle of u omne ignotiim pro magnijico"* Our pre- 

 sent state of knowledge requires us to speak with a cautious 

 reserve in this, as in so many other branches of science, wherein 



* Whilst these sheets have been passing through the press, my attention has been 

 drawn to the " Rhind Lectures on Archajology," delivered in April and May last, in Edin- 

 burgh, by Dr. Arthur Mitchell ; which are extremely interesting and valuable, and afford 

 strong corroborative evidence from a competent authority In favour of the views which 

 I have expressed. See "Scotsman," April 19th, 22nd, 2Gth, and 29th, and May 3rd and 

 5th. I may be permitted also to refer to a masterly article, " Modern Philosophers on 

 the Probable Age of the World," in the " Quarterly Review " for July, 1S76, especially pp. 

 20C, 207, and 212, 218; in which the conflicting views of the geologists, mathematicians, 

 and physicists, are discussed. Some of the remarks made in the addresses of the distin- 

 guished presidents of the sections of Geology and Biology, Professor Young and Mr. Wal- 

 lace, similarly inculcating caution, at the Glasgow meeting of the British Association 

 tliis year, are equally worthy of attentive consideration 



