214 
COMMON ORIGIN. 
a picture of the Pre-Adamite earth, as intro¬ 
ductory to the great drama of life. 
Physical geography is conversant with the 
facts and consequences of pristine vegeta¬ 
tion ; nor can even the vexed questions of 
political economy be determined without a 
consideration of the stores which fossil 
fuel contribute to the wealtli of nations 
and the materials of commerce. 
The more fully developed that any physi¬ 
cal science becomes, the more plainly do we 
perceive the tokens of kindred and affinity 
between it and all others, indicating rela¬ 
tionship to a common origin. Like the mul¬ 
tifarious languages of the earth, they display 
to the student abundant proofs of inherent 
family likeness. ‘‘And if you agree with 
me in these reflections, you will also me- 
thinks feel as I do, that in tracing the 
history of any pursuit, we are not so much 
indulging a fond curiosity, or following the 
progress of man s ingenuity, as watching 
the beautiful courses whereby God hath 
gradually removed the veil from before 
some hidden knowledge, first lifting up one 
corner thereof, then another, till the whole 
