253 
40. The author admits in the same place that geology might 
perhaps call for different chronological appreciation: — “If the 
savans in this science could arrive at pronouncing with a certain 
unanimity on the length of the phenomena of the Quaternary period 
from the Pleiocene epoch until our days, and could show the 
necessity of the hundreds of thousands of years of which mention 
has been made, the question of the antiquity of man would then 
take a serious character ; but at present there is far from being 
unanimity amongst observers, or even amongst geologists.” 
41. My late lamented friend Christy, the companion of Lartet, 
was confident that the result of their researches would throw back 
very considerably the date of man's introduction into the world. 
But now (if I understand right) all this is changed, and there has 
been a complete bouleversement , in the opinion of geologists con- 
cerning the diluvian deposits of the Somme and of the Seine ; and 
consequently regarding the antiquity of the age of the prehistoric 
man who left his remains in these localities. This has specially 
taken place through the conscientious and complete study of the 
engineer Belgrand. * 
42. Had the gentleman above named been living, we should 
greatly have valued his more mature and time-sobered opinions, 
which he would, very probably, have been ready to give to the 
Institute. Failing this, I can only commend the writings of our 
foreign archaeologists, in particular those of Lenormant and 
Chabas, to the attention of those who desire to see a really con- 
scientious examination of this question in all its bearings. 
43. I cannot do better than conclude my review of this part 
of our subject in the words of one who has devoted much 
attention and research to Paleontology, — the eloquent M, Lenor- 
mant :f — “ We possess no chronometer to determine, even approxi- 
mately, the duration of the ages, and the thousands of years which 
have elapsed since the first men of whom we find the traces 
We are, in effect, in presence of phenomena of 
subsidence and of elevation of which nothing leads us to suspect 
even the greater or less degrees of slowness ; for we know some 
phenomena of this nature which are accomplished quite rapidly, 
and others which are produced in so insensible and gradual a 
manner that the change is not more than a yard in several ages. 
As to sedimentary deposits, their formation may have been equally 
precipitated or retarded by the most diverse causes, without our 
being able to appreciate these. Nothing, even in the actual state 
of the world, is more variable in its nature (through a multitude 
* P. 553. t L' Homme fossile, Les prem. Civ., vo 1 .. i. p. 61. 
VOL. IX. 
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