292 Proceedings of the British Association, 



such an opinion were accompanied by an exposition of the grounds 

 upon which it was founded, there can be little doubt that there is 

 not a government in the civilized world which would not readily ac- 

 quiesce in a recommendation which was supported by such authority. 



The last volume of our Transactions is rich in Reports on Natural 

 Science, and more especially in those departments of it which have 

 an important bearing on Geology : such is Prof. Forbes's Report ' On 

 the distribution of the Mollusca and Radiata of the uflSgean Sea/ 

 [Athen. No. 830] with particular reference to the successive zones of 

 depth which are characterized by distinctive forms of animal life and 

 the relation between existing and extinct species. You will, I am sure, 

 be rejoiced to hear that Her Majesty's Government has not only secu- 

 red the services of its author, in connexion with the geological 

 survey, but has most liberally undertaken, upon the application of 

 the Council, to defray the expense of printing the very interesting 

 work upon which this Report is founded. The report of Mr. 

 Thompson, of Belfast, on an analogous branch of the Fauna of 

 Ireland, is remarkable for the minuteness and fulness of the informa- 

 tion which it conveys. Prof. Owen has continued his report on the 

 British Fossil Mammalia, which was begun in the preceding volume, 

 and towards procuring materials for which a contribution was made 

 from the funds of the Association. I regret to find that a class of 

 Reports on the recent progress and existing state of different 

 branches of science, which occupied so large a portion of our earlier 

 volumes, and which conferred upon them so great a value, have been 

 almost entirely discontinued : if the authors of these Reports could 

 find leisure to add to them an appendix, containing the history of 

 the advances made in those branches of science during the last 

 decad of years, they would confer an important benefit on all persons 

 engaged in scientific inquiries. 



The history of the sciences must ever require these periodical 

 revisions of their state and progress, if men continue to press forward 

 in the true spirit of philosophy to advance the boundaries of know- 

 ledge ; for though there may be impassable boundaries of human 

 knowledge, there is only one great and all- wise Being, with whom all 

 knowledge is perfect, who can say, " Thus far shalt thou go, and 

 no further." The indolent speculator on the history of the sciences 



