passed away, but others still remain among us ; and difficult 
as it may be to follow in the footsteps or to emulate the “ large 
utterance ” of these early giants, I earnestly hope, albeit the 
signs are few and meagre, that a race may yet spring up not 
unworthy to be their successors. The links that bind primeval 
time to our own have to be sought out, — the history of a world 
has to be unravelled. The alphabet has been discovered, and 
some of the inscriptions graven on the rocks are deciphered ; 
but many readings are wanting, many passages obscure. The 
time is still early, the subject is but opening to view, and its 
revelations are boundless. Hitherto there has been a wonderful 
unanimity of purpose among all true cultivators of geology. 
The advance of geology, through the friendly co-operation of 
its votaries, has known no pause since the decline of the ITut- 
tonian and Wernerian controversy. The physical structure of 
our country is one cause of this rapid progress, but the 
earnest character of the men who investigated that country is 
another secret of the strength that has so rapidly urged the 
science onwards ; and I earnestly trust and believe that that 
strength will know no decay while the rising cultivators of 
geology continue worthily to follow the bright example set by 
their great predecessors. 
LONDON: 
Printed by George E. Eyre and William Spottiswoole, 
Printers to the Queen’s most Excellent Majesty. 
For Her Majesty’s Stationery Office. 
