The Agassiz Memorials. 243 



mental idea of geology, the idea of infinite time 

 containing many successive epochs, or time-worlds 

 like our own. In that moment the intellectual hori- 

 zon of man was again infinitely extended. 



These two are the grandest moments in the his- 

 tory of science ; yea, in the intellectual history of 

 our race. The one opened the gates of infinite 

 space, and showed us many space-worlds ; the other 

 opened up the gates of infinite time, and showed us 

 as many successive creations or time-worlds. 



We see, then, the intellectual impulse communi- 

 cated by a great new idea. The introduction of a 

 new method, though less striking to the imagination, 

 is perhaps even more important. We will illustrate 

 it presently. Now, I wish to show that Agassiz, 

 too, was the originator of new ideas, and the intro- 

 ducer, or at least the perfecter, of new methods in 

 science. Yes, Agassiz was the originator of a great 

 new idea in geology, and the introducer or perfecter 

 of a new method in organic science. 



For nearly a century past, glaciers, their structure, 

 their mysterious motion, and their effects, have been 

 the subject of the intensest interest to scientists ; an 

 interest which is deepened by the splendours of 

 mountain scenery and the perils of mountain travel. 

 The most eminent men have successively expended 

 their energies upon these problems : De Saussure, 

 and Charpentier, and Huger, and Agassiz, and Guyot, 

 and Forbes, and Tyndall. To the physicist, the two 

 points of greatest interest are, the law of glacier 

 motion and the theory of glacier motion. Now, in 

 the din and confusion of discussion, as to whether 



