Distribution of British Animals. 30o 
blished. But, unfortunately for the interpreters of the Book of 
Nature, they have been few in number, their field of observation 
too limited, and their prejudices too obvious, to permit any 
high value to be attached to their theoretical deductions ; as 
the history of mineralogical science in Britain for the last twelve 
years abundantly testifies. It would be favourable to the pro- 
gress of geology, were its cultivators more disposed to examine 
the structure of the earth, and the laws which regulate the phy- 
sical distribution of its inhabitants, and less anxious to give cur- 
rency to their conjectures, by endeavouring to identify them 
with deservedly popular truths. It would be equally favour- 
able to the interests of Revelation, were the believer to reject 
such faithless auxiliaries, and, instead of exhibiting a morbid 
earnestness to derive support to his creed from sciences but re- 
motely connected with his views, calmly to consider, that Geology 
never can, from its very nature, add the weight of a feather to 
the moral standard which he has embraced, or the anticipations 
of eternity in which he indulges, even should he fancy that it 
has succeeded in disclosing the dens of antediluvian hyaenas, in 
exhibiting the skeleton of a rhinoceros drowned in the flood, or 
in discovering the decayed timbers of the ark. This indiscreet 
union of Geology and Revelation can scarcely fail to verify the 
censure of Bacon, by producing Philosophia phantastica , 
Religio liasretica .” 
Manse of Flisk, i 
1 9th July 1 824; j 
Art. X. Effects of Lightning upon the Human Body , exem- 
plified by a remarkable accident. By Dr Tilesics, of 
Mulhausen. 
Jn the ninth volume of Schweigger's Journal, there is an ac- 
count of an accident, caused by lightning, which may throw 
some light upon the mode of action of this formidable meteor. 
As two carts were proceeding, in a hollow way, bordered on 
either side by a wood, they were successively struck by a thun- 
der-bolt. In the first cart were seated the two brothers Teele, 
the one aged 33 years, the other 29 : in the second, Mr Teele the 
vol. xr. no. 22. oct. 1824= 
u 
