15 



limestone in the neighboring hills, they carved out figures of 

 marvelous aud fantastic forms, and buried them at the localities 

 where the learned Professor was accustomed to dig for his 

 fossil treasures. His delight at the discovery of these strange 

 forms encouraged further production, and taxed the ingenuity 

 of these youthful imitators of Nature's secret processes. At 

 last Beringer had a large and unique collection of forms, 

 new to him, and to science, which he determined to publish to 

 the world. After long and patient study, his work appeared, 

 in Latin, dedicated to the reigning prince of the country, and 

 illustrated with twenty-one folio plates. Soon after the book 

 was published, the deception practiced upon the credulous 

 Professor became known; and, in place of the glory he ex- 

 pected from his great undertaking, he received only ridicule 

 and disgrace. He at once endeavored to repurchase and 

 destroy the volumes already issued, and succeeded so far that 

 few copies of the first edition remain. His small fortune, 

 which had been seriously impaired in bringing out his grand 

 work, was exhausted in the effort to regain what was already 

 issued, as the price rapidly advanced in proportion as fewer 

 copies remained ; and, mortified at the failure of his life's 

 work, he died in poverty. It is said that some of his family, 

 dissatisfied with the misfortune brought upon them by this 

 disgrace and the loss of their patrimony, used a remaining copy 

 for the production of a second edition, which met with a large 

 sale, sufficient to repair the previous loss, and restore the 

 family fortune. This work of Beringer, in the end, exerted 

 an excellent influence upon the dawning science of fossil 

 remains. Observers became more cautious in announcing 

 supposed discoveries, aud careful study of natural objects 

 gradually replaced vague hypotheses. 



The above works, however, are hardly fair examples of the 

 literature on "fossils during this part of the eighteenth century. 

 Scheuchzer had previously published his well-known " Com- 

 plaint and Vindication of the Fishes," illustrated with good 

 plates. Moro, in his work on "Marine Bodies which are 



