New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1842-11-16
DR.. Smiths Lectures on Geology.


last evening Dr. SMITH said that the facts OF which
Philosophy is made up, when pushed to their ulh-
mate limits are called LAws-the Laws of Ma
ture, which are merely the will eff the Creator
impressed upon matter; and the question at once
arose whether this will always cons istent with
itself-whether these Laws were uniform, or mere
" fancifui. All history, said Dr.. s. profane and
sacred, testifes TO their perfect uniformity; when,
therefore, we find she'll or bone which has come
down from past ages, are at once authorized to
conclude that that shell and that bone were formed
precisely as they are found to be formed now that
the Creator could have formed them differently
in manner contrary to that which now observe,
no one doubts but we have not the slightest reason
TO suppose that the ordinary laws of Nature were
varied in the least degree.
For instance, We cannot suppose that the AMI
mails and vegetables of the Tertiary or other
formations were formed simultaneously and for the
express purpose of being Immediately buried up
for the future discovery of geologists In exam
ming strata were once found the renains of ch-
thyosaurus, containing in its stomach the remains
OF fish ii had eaten-a scale Of the fish which
had been devoured remaining SO perfect that The
mined. We must conclude, then, that these ami
mails lived then precisely as they are known to live
now; and we can only conclude, with the Presi-
dent of Columbia College, that the Scriptures
were given not to make US wise in Science, but
wise unto Salvation In the hair OF animals
r aol. I'd
dence to the purpose as strong as 1t is posi-
bic to produce for facts which do not pass I'M
der the observation of our senses.
In acquiring knowledge proceed from the
known TO the unknown-guided by demonstration
and induction, both of which prore, and by analogy
which only renders probable. In employing both
these methods Dr. s. said he would be careful to
state nothing which should not be abundantly wor-
thy of credit All philosophers, to be sure, are
apt to generalizc too much; and from this circum-
stance some of his hearers might not be disposed
to assent at once TO his bodest conclusions. Facts
in geology. however, have been a,certained with
great certainty, and upon these there be little
dispute. This point in Dr.. LYELL's lectures is TO
be noted that although he had iavorite theory
TO support-one which Dr. S. thought in many
points false and mistaken--he never mlsstated n
fact
There are two methods of investigation one
analyucal-that by which we learn; and the syn
thetical-that by which we must teach 1t IS
necessary to combine both these methods in order
te speak intelligibly or to understand clearly. In
arranging knowledge for communication 10 others,
there are difficulties to be encountered-som gen.
eral and others peculiar to the science of Geology
one arises from the fact that Nature does not gen.
eraze she furnishes no genera species-which
we must have in order to understand her works ;
thus granite and gneiss, though opposite in them
selves run into each other like light and darkness
and il is not easy always TO mark the line Of div
sion Another difficulty arises from the necessity
of arranging different individuals from some one
Identical feature. Thus Linnaus arranged together
Man, Bat and Whale-individuas very unlike,
bus agreeing in this that all are lactescent-feed-
ing their young with milk. Nature, too, Is always
economical she never wastes means or nstru-
ments. DR.. S. said he struck not long since
by finding no valve in the throat of a bird; but
when he came to reflect that it lived on fish, which
it swallowed whole-fe saw the reason at once,
there being no necessity for such valve.
These are general difficulties belonging 10 all
studies of Naure but there are some peculiar to Ge-
ology 1t is new science and no agreement has been
had among its leaders as to names or arrangement.
Each one must make tho best he can. Dr. ,. SAID
he had been obliged to follow in the main MIR. LY-
ELL-whose phraseology he had also adopted
in so doing he had gone against high au-
tborties Again the strata which he should eX-
hibit we're never all found in part of the globe
in England for instance there were found none OF
those termed Eocene In the Niagara District, all
those between the Recent and the Silurian strata
are wanting; and tits not until ouapproach Penn
10 Rod -
Where we now stand we have some 40 or SO feet
of duvium, and below that there is nothing but
the granite and the gneiss. So that the table of
strata must be made up from these different To-
caties. brought together and arranged.
Again, in many parts of the earth the strata are
contolted in the most singular manner. In Penn
svlvania, the coal has sometimes been turned top
sev-turvey and in Belgium the same phenomenon
is observed Of these facts, which puzzle obser-
vers no adequate solution has been afforded.
In this country we have no chalk. The creta-
ceous group, which DR.. S. had put upon the list
in this country contains green sand, which is the
equiodlent of chalk--that is, when chalk was de-
posted in England, green sand was deposited
here the word cotemporaneous would better ex-
press the meaning.
In this country, the distinction between the Eo-
Gene and the Miocene is clearly nlarked-lime ex-
i,ting between them, produced doubtless by some
sudden change of temperature.
Dir. Smith then exhibited and explained the
table given in report of his last lecture, and
also the following.
TIE Crust Of the Earth, dirided according to
the composition ef the Strata.
Loan,
COMPOSITE. Alluvium,
(Diluyium
Animal Refna1lS.
Terrestrial. S Sfseeiss
.,i Marine, Or
ORGANIC. 4Aquaue.'.''' Fresh Water.
Vegetable Remains.