34 
The word fossil appears to be the only word our language can 
supply, which is capable of being employed as the term denoting 
these substances in general. The propriety of adopting it will 
appear, when we consider its derivation, and the characteristics of 
the bodies it is intended to signify. In the contemplation of these 
bodies, three circumstances offer themselves for our particular 
notice : first, their having been dug out of the earth ; secondly, their 
original mode of existence ; and, thirdly, the nature of the change 
which they have undergone. The term fossil, if its meaning be 
assumed, strictly from its derivation, must be acknowledged to 
mean, any mineral substance dug out of the earth ; but, when it is 
recollected, that these bodies in general, exhibit, to the senses, the 
most obvious marks of their origin, and of the changes they have 
undergone, it is sufficient for the common purposes of speech, that 
the word selected for them express their other grand characteristic 
—their being dug out of the earth. But, although, when the fossil 
body is itself present, and manifests to the senses, that for instance, 
it was once wood, the applying to it the term fossil entirely com- 
pletes the idea ; yet this is not sufficient, in written language, where 
the senses cannot thus supply, that which is deficient in the term. 
Here appropriate epithets must be added, expressive of those parts 
of the idea, which are not already expressed. The epithets extra- 
neous or adventitious, proposed by Sir John Hill, and generally 
adopted to the present time, are, in my opinion, objectionable ; not 
only because they do not comprise the two circumstances, which 
are required to be expressed ; but also because they convey opinions 
respecting these substances, which a closer examination will show 
are ill founded. 
The term extraneous denotes, that the substance spoken of is 
foreioTi to the region in which it is found ; and is indeed, in a great 
meas^e, applicable to most of these bodies ; to some however, it 
cannot, with propriety, be applied. While the body retains, not 
