Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1853-07-16
NEW PUBLICATION.

MANUAL OF ELENENT5Sf GEOLOGY, by Sir
y CHARLES LYELL, F. X. g.. NV York, Appleton Co.
Washington, Taylor & May
This modern branch of sizes is well described by the
/ Edinburgh Review as philosophy which never rests.
It's law is progress pint which yesterday inyi.
sibe Is its goal to-day and will be its starting point
Tomorrow" And in proof of the discernment Of those
canny Scots, postscript is przsd announcing and yeri
Tying discoveries ade since the volume put press
Sir Charles Lyels book presents regular systematic
introduction (which the principles clearly stated and
couched in s own symbolic nomenclature The array of
expressive creek compounds German yocabIes which
conse the terminoogy and the constant reference to
maaematcal reasoning, would indicate that no man NAV
approach this study without the previous training com
prised in course Of liberal education
The science of geology, if science that may be called
which is still in imperfect state, is based on vast
scheme Of immense induction, necessarily incomplete
the inducye process being still in active operation and
likely to continue SO indefinitely.
Various theories of the doctrine have appearedthe
Plutonian, Neptunan &eand the ingenious conjectures
of Hutton, Werner Lebnitz, and others have in taru
foated the popular breeze and in turn vanished into
thin air To the dominant theory Of progressive deve
lopment the English baronet is decidedly opposed and
shows concusye that late discoveries have utterly de-
mohshed that position His own hypothesis is that Of
the strauhed formation Of the earth-successye layers
IKE the coats of onion, each layer having its peculiar
inhabitants animate and inanimate, thereto adapted
This system has the merit of being least Ineligible
and will keep the field, doubtless until suppanted by
something more specious
We would observe that the doctrine of qualification,
which in geology supplies the data for the calculus Of
time, cannot be safely relied on as basis for the con-
struction of chronology inasmuch those have
ever been disturbed and always liable to upheayal
and subversion by the agency of internal or the
action OF volcanic forces. The objection will lie
against any regular classification of animate or nanmate
species found in such strata
1t has been whispered abroad that there exists however
it may be disguised, antagonism between some
OF the conclusions of geology and the received doctrines
Of the Mosaic cosmogony We have been assured indeed
by the excellent Professor of Yale College, in his late
of lectures at the Smhson Institution that no
such discrepancy exists and that the Mosaic chronology
quite reconcileabe with the periods epochs of geo.
logists Be it So The accomplished lecturer, however,
did not dprove the charge it, perhaps be refuted
We have sometimes thought that the tendency of those
earthly pursuits is withdraw the attention of man from
the true scope Of his existence here and fix the dp
Particular aure' on boulders, sandstone shae &C.
That branch of geognosy which in truth
geoponics in plain language agriculture The bust
OF man is with the surface thin outer rim Of the
crust of this planet and exertion of power human
device, avail penetrate to the centre, shed
lent on INC INTERIOR OF reveal ltS lhysuc iormatlons
Neither would success in the attempt profit him augh
The manifest allotted to this globe is to
occupy its surface during sixty seventy years
10 fulfil certain prescribed duties deposte his exuvi@
like the chrysals, and then wing his fight to regions
where according to the belief Of the wise and the good
9 permanent condition and suitable state await his
liberated spirit
To conclude We sincerely lament the extinction Of
the brightest lamp that shed lustre this science
conspicuous digntary of the church Of England,
graced with all the erudon of her unrivaled univer
ties and devoting his brilliant talents these physical
Investigations, has been overtaken with the blight of
son-hs fine intellect clouded in hopeless night, and his
anding aid and influence forever lost the of
religion and the extension of knowledge. Appalling
asophes, whether of mind matter recall the lines of
Englands sweetest poet
Hope humbly then, with trembling pnions soar,
Wait the great teacher DEATH, and God adore" Q