Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1846-05-14
THE ROMANCE OF GEoLoGY.-No I.

| GeOlogy Is tile science which examines and de-
scrioes the crust of the EARTH 1t is almost of yes
terday yet it has already made some most remark
aOie additions TO the stock of human knowledge.
IL mas, LOT one thing, given us view Of the earhs
history during long period, while as vet no hu d.
man beings lived upon it. The facts of this his
tory are extremely curious and interesting 1t APP
pears that the space of time occupied by it was
vast beyond all that could have been supposed !;
mat during this time the surface of the earth I'M
derwent many changes of rocks being at
the bottom OF seas, other rocks thrown up by sub
terranean lorces, hills and valleys formed and sea
and land frequently changed the one for the other
Also ana most wonderful of ALL, that while these
operations are going on, there rose a succession of
animals, beginning with those of simplest form,
and advancing to others of higher character, until
those nearest to the human figure appeared; these
anlhaIs, however, being different species from any
when now exist. All of these facts have been as
certalned by investigating the rocks which COM
pose the eatths crust, in which are found the re-
mains, more or less perfectly preserved of the ami
mails IN question:, well as Of similar succession
OF plants the order Of the existence of both ami
mails and plants being established by an order which
Is ascertaned IN regard to the rocks the oldest of
which are OF course placed undermost and the
newest next the surface. 1t is surely very interes
ting to reflect on the manner in which this history
has been compiled not, as histories usually are
from old family and state documents. from medals
or monuments, but from particulars placed before
US, as 1t were, by nature, that we might first OBJ
serve ana lhen reject upon and make differences
from them. And such is the character of this evil
denco, that many of the facts of the last hundred
years. are less clearly ascertalned than are some of
the events which took place thousands of wears be-
fore the existence of the human race It was at
rst thought by some that these curious revelations
OF science initiated against the account of the cre
alton given by Moses in the book of Genesis; but
ngtt n IC M IN.
very prevalent conviction exists that there is moth
ing in the one history to interfere with u BECOMING
reverence for the other.
lhe remains OF the early animals and plants
called fossils, as being dug Latin fossus. duel out
OF the earth-are found in various conditions
sometimes what was once coral, for instance. is
still coral, the original harI substance being en-
tlrely preserved; sometimes the original substance
has been withdrawn particle by particle, and re-
placed by slick or some other mineral substance,
! out without the slightest change of form on 9TH
| er occasions there Is merely an impression of the
original plant or animal, but this is in general as
hselul to the geologlst as if the primitive substance
renamed sin word, there is no limit to the
number and variety of these remains of animal and
vegetable existence. At one time we see before
us, extracted from solid mass of rock, model of
The softest, most delicate, and least easily preserv
ed paris OF animal structures at another time, the
actual bones, teeth, and scales, scarcely altered
rom thelr condition In the living animal. The
very skln the eye, the foot prints of the creature
IN the mud, and the food that it was dgesting at
the time OF its death, together with those portions
that had been separated by the digestive organs as
containing no further nutrimen are all as clearly
exhibited as if death had within few hours per
formed It's commission, and all had been instantly
prepared for our investigation. We find the re-
mains OF fish perfect, that not one bone not one
scale, is out OF place wanting and others in the
same bed presenting only the outline of a skeleton,
or various disjonted fragments We have insects,
'he deIicate neryures of whose wings are perma-
nently Impressed upon the stone in which they are
'noeaded; and we see, occasionally, shells. not
merely retaining their shape, but perpetuating their
very coors--,he most feeting, one would think. of
an characterlscs-and offering evidence of the
or"lancy ana beauty of creation at time when
man was not yet an inhabitant of the earth. and
there seemed no one to appreciate beauties which
we are, perhaps too apt to think were called into
existence only for our admration."'