182 The American Naturalist. [March 



globe to be one of change, and that the forces now in action 

 would, if allowed sufficient time, produce changes as great as 

 those of geological time. Hooke published a " Discourse on 

 Earthquakes," which contains the most philosophical view of 

 the time respecting the notions of fossils and the effect of 

 earthquakes in raising up the bed of the sea. Woodward per- 

 ceived that the lines of outcrops of the strata were parallel 

 with the ranges of mountains. He formed, about the year 

 1695, a collection of specimens which he systematically ar- 

 ranged and gave to the University of Cambridge. 



They were followed in the same direction by Vallismeme 

 (1720), Moro (1740,) Buffon (1749), Lehman (1756), and Fuch- 

 sel (1773), each contributing something additional, and ad- 

 vanced the most philosophical views yet presented respecting 

 the fossil iferous strata. The first two made observations 

 throughout Italy and the Alps. Moro endeavored to make 

 the production of strata correspond in time with the account 

 of the creation of the world in six days. 



Buffon published his " Natural History," in which he ad- 

 vanced views respecting the formation and modification of 

 mountains and valleys by the action of water. 



Geology did not begin to assume the rank of an important 

 science until its application to the practical purposes of mining 

 and agriculture was first pointed out in 1780 by Werner, Prof, 

 of Mineralogy in the School of Mines at Freiberg in Saxony. 

 He greatly advanced the science by establishing the super- 

 position of certain groups, by giving a system and names. 

 He had very crude ideas regarding the origin of the strata. 

 He supposed that the various formations were precipitated 

 over the earth in succession from a chaotic fluid ; even the ig- 

 neous rocks he held to be chemical precipitations from the 



Thus we see that the history of geology has been a record of 

 failures, and it was not until Hutton (1788), rejecting all the- 

 ories as to the beginning of the world returned to the opinions 

 of Pythagoras and Ray. He pointed out that geologists must 

 study the present if they would learn of the past; and he 

 labored to show that the forces now in operation are capable 



