5 
discover that a number of nebulous bodies, which before he 
had indistinctly seen, were resolved into vast clusters of 
stars, whilst other additional nebulae had been brought into 
sight, leaving the vast unfathomed space of creation mani- 
festly deeper than at first. For instead of these new and 
more powerful aids to vision bringing his investigations to a 
close, the further he goes the more he is convinced of the 
still greater extent of what remains yet unexplored and un- 
known ! The effect, therefore, of all legitimate and sound 
science, profoundly investigated, is to produce in the well- 
ordered and intelligent mind that principle of humility, of 
which we find so many admirable examples among the most 
illustrious philosophers. Pride and conceit are the necessary 
fruits of ignorance, and of an imperfect acquaintance with 
things. The more we investigate the deep works of the 
Almighty Creator, which are all infinite, the more shall we 
be impressed with a sense of the impracticability of their 
ever being fully grasped by any finite understanding ; and 
hence we shall be more cautious in putting forth crude 
speculations, and be brought into a condition of mind more 
humble and consistent with our Christian profession. And 
so, it may well be anticipated, will the science of Geology — 
against which many have been prejudiced by its numerous 
hasty, imperfect, and changeable theories, — ^be ultimately 
chastened by increased researches, till it assume more of the 
solid characteristics of the older sciences. To the extent, 
however, to which Geology has already advanced, its investi- 
gations may be shown to be practically very important. For, 
the mere determining of what may be certainly known of the 
structure of the earth, or the limits of knowledge as to what 
we may be ignorant of, becomes a valuable guide in a mining 
district. Every one acquainted with mining operations is 
aware of the fact, that many thousands of pounds have been 
expended in searching for coal, where, had the parties been 
intimate with the facts acquired by the science of Geology, 
