82 Eaton's Geology. 



deep root. Every right is regarded, and every interest protected. 

 The broad shield of the law covers all. Famine, and unavoidable 

 disasters, drive man to despair; he looks to the present moment 

 only, because the future is w^rapped in doubt ; he runs all chances, 

 and neglects all system, and the providence necessary for accu- 

 mulation and comfort. Under the mighty guarantees that we 

 have named, we may expect great perfection in our race, a maxi- 

 mum population, a productive industry, a moral condition, a 

 high degree of intellectual developement, the greatest advance- 

 ment in the arts, commercial prosperity, all the refinements of 

 society, and a government of laws which will reach and guard 

 all. 



All these blessings are in store for this nation, if the people are 

 true to themselves. Nothing can impede the happiness and glory 

 of this people, if they can only be led by a wise and general 

 system of education, to reject the insidious pretensions of artful 

 and selfish men, and to lean voluntarily upon the wise and just 

 for the administration of their affairs, and the preservation of 

 their institutions. W. 



EATON'S GEOLOGY. 



Communication from the writer of the article " Geology," in the North American 



Review, for April, 1831. 



The writer of the article " Geology," in the number of the 

 North American Review, is not surprised to learn that Professor 

 Amos Eaton, and his friends, have winced under the merited cas- 

 tigation he received. That they should have put his defence 

 upon his " having contributed to awaken the spirit of inquiry on 

 geological subjects in this country," was to be expected, and is 

 admitted to be true to a certain extent. Mr. Eaton has done for 

 geology, pretty much what the bellman does for a lost child ; he 

 has set people looking for it. In a passage in the preface to his 

 geological text-book, — the work reviewed in the article above 

 alluded to — he gives us at once a clue to his own capacity in 

 this line, and for the moving causes which have brought one of 

 his defenders forward, in a somewhat unexpected manner. This 

 is the passage : " Geology is a progressive science ; and he, who 

 lias any respect for his future reputation, should be exceedingly 



