THE LEWIS BROOKS MUSEUM. 35 



themselves. Such materials are all the more valuable in 

 history, as they are free from the distortion clue to passion 

 and prejudice. 



In the winter of 1 853-' 54 the level of the water in 

 Lake Zurich fell so low that attempts were made to reclaim 

 the low lands along its shores by damming back the water. 

 The excavations made for this purpose led to the discovery, 

 in the mud of the lake, of various remains of former settle- 

 ments, belonging to an unknown race, which inhabited that 

 portion of Europe long before any that is recorded by tradi- 

 tion or history. It was found that for security they had 

 built their dwellings over the lake on piles. In the accu- 

 mulation made on the bottom of the lake, caused by the re- 

 jection of matter of all sorts, many articles are found so 

 well preserved that an almost complete account of the hab- 

 its and condition of the people can be made out. Imple- 

 ments of all sorts, weapons, bones of animals, grain, textile 

 fabrics, and many other relics, throw a flood of light on the 

 material, social, political, and even moral condition of an- 

 cient Europe. Since then similar remains have been found 

 in numerous lakes in other parts of Switzerland, in Bavaria, 

 Austria, Upper Italy, Mecklenburg and Pommerania. 



The caves, peat bogs and shell heaps of many parts of 

 Europe add their stores, so that now the study of these arti- 

 cles has become an important and extensive branch of Ge- 

 ology. I cannot pretend here to more than allude to these 

 results. Such are some of the relations, applications and 

 uses of the Science of Geology. It is a singular truth that, 

 notwithstanding the fact that the earth is our home, and 

 thus might be supposed to be of the highest interest to all 

 men, but few seem to be interested in its history. Geology 

 must long remain the special study of the select few. 



I cannot leave this part of my subject without calling 

 special attention to the great importance of establishing 

 surveys to maks known the geology of a country. Geolo- 



