449 
THE APRIL MEETING, 1844 . 
ner have proved. This order has excited the attention, not only of such minds as 
Cooper, Harlan, and Hays, but has also occupied the best naturalists of France, 
Britain, Germany, and Italy. 
Fossil conchology has attracted the attention of Conrad, the Lee’s, and the Ro¬ 
gers’, not only calling forth much ingenuity in description and classification, but 
also throwing great light Upon the relative ages of some of the most interesting 
geological formations. The earthquake theory of the Rogers’ is one of the boldest 
generalizations, founded upon physical reasoning, which our geologists have pro¬ 
duced. In the parallel ridges into which the Apalachian chain is thrown, they see 
the crests of great earthquake waves, propagated from long lines of focal earth¬ 
quake action, more violent than any which the world now witnesses. The geologist 
deals in such sublime conceptions as a world of molten matter, tossed into waves 
by violent efforts of escaping vapors, cooling, cracking, and rending, in dire con¬ 
vulsion. He then ceases to discuss the changes and formation of worlds, and con¬ 
descends to inform us how to fertilize our soil, where to look for coal and iron, 
copper, tin, cobalt, lead, and where we need not look for either. He is the Milton 
of poetry, and the Watt of philosophy. And here let me add, that the recent 
application of chemistry to agriculture is producing the most surprising results, in 
increasing and improving the products of the earth, and setting at defiance Mal- 
thus’ theory of population. 
In medicine, that great and most useful branch of physics, our countrymen have 
been most distinguished. From the days of the great philosoper, physician, patriot, 
and statesman, Benjamin Rush, down to the present period, our country has been 
unsurpassed in this branch; but I have not time even to give an outline of the 
eminent Americans, whose improvements and discoveries in medicine have contri¬ 
buted so much to elevate the character of our country, and advance the comfort 
and happiness of man. Rush, one of the founders of this branch in America, was 
one of the signers of our Declaration of Independence, and his school of medicine 
was as independent and national as his course in our revolutionary struggle. Sta¬ 
tistics are chiefly concerned, as furnishing the facts connected with government 
and political economy, but they are also ancillary to physics. The statistical work 
of Mr. Archibald Russell, of New York, which immediately preceded the last cen¬ 
sus, contained many valuable suggestions, some of which were adopted by Con¬ 
gress: and had more been incorporated into the law, the census would have been 
much more complete and satisfactory. The recent statistical work of Mr. George 
Tucker, of Virginia, on the census of 1840, is distinguished by great talent and 
research, and is invaluable to the scholar, the philosopher, the statesman, and 
philanthropist. 
Most imperfect as has been this sketch—omitting, from necessity, so many who 
ought to have been named—1 trust it presents some proofs, that our countrymen 
have not failed to contribute their full proportion to the inductive sciences, whilst 
they have, at the same time, established and administered a Government founded 
upon principles new and sublime, now tested by great and happy results, and as 
far transcending all its predecessors as the happiness of the whole people is above 
that of the few. Our beautiful system of a confederate and representative repub¬ 
lic appeals to Heaven for light, and aid, and support; and infidelity only can deny 
the success of such a Government of the people ; for the sacred volume most clearly 
predicts the advancing march of mankind and their progressive capacity for self 
government, moving onwards and upwards in knowledge, in virtue, and religion, 
