126 The Queensland Naturalist. Vol. I, 
2. — The palseontologica] record, though defective, 
is clear as far as it goes. And this means that the geological 
record is also clear, as far as it goes. It, too, is defective, 
and it is these deficiencies that we are to look into to-night, 
3. — Now Evolution — the doctrine of descent with 
modification — is a pretty ancient theory. Bufion, aristo- 
crat, courtier, mathema.tician, naturalist and philosopher, 
had very clear ideas about it, which he expounded in 
polished French, veiling his meaning in subtle irony. 
Lamarck, friend and protege of Bufion, held very strong 
and, methinks, sound views on evolution, as you may see 
in liis Philosophie Zoologique, if you will read it, and not 
trust to the unfair excerpts set forth so often as specimens 
of his handicraft. Alas ! folks don’t read the works of 
the great dead ; Bufion is treated as a buffoon, and the name 
of Lamarck has become a by-word to a school of modern 
English evolutionists, who lampoon him unread. Etienne 
and Geoffrey St. Hilaire had no doubts about evolution, 
and, strangest of all, Dr. Erasmus Daiwin held clear-cut 
philosophical views, which (Judging by his writings), his 
celebrated grandson does not seem to have read intelli- 
gently, since about all Charles DarAvin has to say of him 
(and this in a footnote) is : “ It is curious hoAV largely 
my grandfather, Dr. Erasmus DarAvin, anticipated the views 
and erroneous grounds of opinion of Lamarck in his 
‘ Zoonomia.’ ” Not till ‘‘ Neo-Lamarckians ” raised the 
question did Erasmus receive due credit from Charles, and 
then in a so-called translation (by Dahas), Avhich cut out 
much telling matter from the German author’s original, 
and interpolated much he did not say. 
I. — About the same time, the close of the 18th and 
early years of the 19th centuries, Cuvier built the foun- 
dations of comparative anatomy on the firm basis of fossil 
evidence, and laid bare to the astonished eyes of scientists 
the Avonderful mammalian remains of the Paris basin. 
MeanAvhile, William Smith, surveyor, Avas laying out 
canals, and incidentally discovering the fundamental laAV 
of geology — that the stratified rocks succeed each other 
in orderly, unvarying sequence, each recognisable l>y its 
fossil contents. 
5. — The early part of the last century, consequently, 
gave birth to three fundamental conceptions: (1) the 
doctrine of descent with modification ; (2) the principles 
of comparative anatomy ; and (3) the principles of strati- 
graphic geology. The Avorld aars not ripe for the general 
acceptance of any of them. Over all brooded the odium 
th^ologicum, Avhich those Avho can look back half a century 
scarce recognize in the mild protests of twentieth century 
critic-lets. It Avas rank impiety not to believe that the 
earth Avas created at the autumnal equinox, on Sunday, 
