MEMOIR OF SIR J. WILLIAM DAWSON 557 



his " Meeting place of geology and history, 1 ' and his " Modern science 

 in Bible lands." These books, all written in a very entertaining style, 

 had a wide circle of readers, and many of them passed through several 

 editions. 



Other volumes from his pen, as well as many papers contributed to 

 various religious publications, treated of the relation of science and reli- 

 gion. One of the earliest of these was entitled " Archaia," and dealt with 

 the relations of historical geology to the Mosaic account of the creation. 

 In others he considered the relation of the evolutionary hypothesis to 

 religious thought. 



Sir William was a Presbyterian of the old school and strongly opposed 

 to all theories of the evolution of man from brute ancestors, nor would 

 he allow anything more than a very moderate antiquity for the species. 

 The study of geology, too, he would have emancipated from " that 

 materialistic infidelity which by robbing nature of the spiritual element 

 and of its presiding divinity makes science dry, barren, and repulsive 

 and diminishes its educational value." 



These works on the relation of science and religion, while they un- 

 doubtedly met a popular need, have but a transitory value, and they 

 are not the works by which Sir William Dawson will be remembered. 

 His reputation is founded on the great contributions to our permanent 

 stock of knowledge which he has made and which are embodied in his 

 works on pure science, representing achievements of which any man 

 might well be proud. His name has been perpetuated in connection 

 with the geological department of his university by the establishment of 

 a second chair in geology, to be known as the Dawson chair, which has 

 just been endowed in his memory by Sir William Macdonald. 



Sir William was a man of quiet genialit}', gentle and even deferential 

 in manner, but decided in opinion and firm in action. The pre-eminent 

 note of his character was sincerity and singleness of purpose. • His loss 

 will be felt by all who knew him, but especially by the members of the 

 university with which he was so long connected. 



BIBLIOGRAPHY OP SIR J. WILLIAM DAWSON, BY HENRY M. AMI 



(Publications relating to Geology and Palseontology) 



1842. 



A geological excursion in Prince Edward island : Haszard's Gazette. 



1843. 



On the Lower Carboniferous or gypsiferous formation of Nova Scotia : Proc. Geol. 

 Soc , vol. 4, pp. 272-281. London. Six woodcuts and Dr A. Gesner's geolog- 

 ical map of Nova Scotia. 



