Lynchburg daily Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1852-1861, 1860-03-29
CITY AND STATE AFFAIRS.

CITY AND STATE AFkAk1o.
Ds. BoYsroNs THIRD LgcrURE.-Dadley Hall
was allied quite as compactly as ever last night on
the occasion Of DR.. Boynton's third lecture; and
we hazard nothing in saving that, as q whole, the
lecture was the most satisfactory and interesting
vet given Of his geological course. The speaker
commenced at once with the subject announced
for the evening, without recapitulating the posi-
tim or statements Of previous lectures. This We
thought an improvement. for as the great majority
of the audience have attended IRON the Commence.
ment O the course ii is fair to presume that they
do not REQUIRE 10 he reminded Of what has rreyl
ouslv been advanced.
The subject last evening was the fosslferous
rocks. and it was handled with mach cearness
and f1rce--and rveted the attention OF the audi
ence during tho entire discourse
The speaker commenced by describing the first
anpearance of vitality disclosed in the record Of
the rocks. written by the finger oil the Creator be-
fore the key to those surprisingly beautiful and
interesting hieroglypis had been found. the hsto-
nv now plain that it may be read by all men,
was translated, the naturalist began to arrange
the gradations IT life from man, the most PEI feet
of oil creations down in the scale until the lowest
limit was reached Along tho descending scale
he gradually went down to the radiata, and fixed
upon this as the first form of matter endowed
with vitality aud when the geologist came to cx-
anime the npheavcd and broken crust and to re.
cord the composition of each successive layer
above the me.amorphic qualifications he found
the lowest deposit to consist almost entirely of the
radiata. The lecturer here gave an interesting
description of this class of animal ed nature, show
lug how little it differed from the mere vegetable
vet it had an agency surprising that of the later
and higher orders of being in giving character to
later rocky formations, and to the development of
islands and continents for the abode uf man.
Each class OF life is distinguished by its own
s and bnsl loft ia rrnb az
the basis of ench successive formation OF the sau
rian strata. First come the radiata--a species
constructed of straight lines radiatng to a COM
mon centre at every conceivable angle less than IL
right angle, capable of infinite mutllation without
destruction, each section becomirga new being
Then follow the mollnsks, constructed Of curved
lines of every conceivable radius only little
higher in the order of being. After this, the
crustanea. constructed by union OF straight lines
and curves combined, with income eiyalle varia-
tons, yet still preserving ibis great character OF
the whole class. Above thcso orders are found
the fishes, with yGrteble. and gang onlc system
united by spinal nerves.
Each of these orders Of beings have their repre-
senatives in the present classes ct living beings,
but those now existing possess n higher develop
men, than their orig inal types, which existed ages
before the period of man.
The same inferior organisms which built Il e
foundations of the continents We nhabit are now
at work in the Pacific seas. constructing the out
lines of n row continent. These busy workers
the plan Of the great architect, from the floor of
the soundless seas. are rearing, nay, growing up,
in the shape of coral rocks. barriers To the sweep
of the restless waves, which, for thousands Of
miles thickly stud the mighty ocean, becoming
scenes of extraordinary beauty. and the theatres
OF vegetable life.
The lecture was illustrated with beautiful
view of group Of these coraline islands, little
circles of coral rocks, covered with debris. form
ing soil for the PALM the su-gins without,
in vain. against the rocky barriers, while within
they are rs placid as n country lake in sum
mer's calm.
The lecture closed with beautiful scenes in
California. which resemble the scenery in this Vi
cnity. and the same character OF soil.
To night the subject will be Coal Beds and For
nations. showing how all Goals were formed and
from what. Proofs that all Goals of vegetable
origin. The difference between bitumiuous and
anthracite con how caused, &c. The subject
will be illustrated by series of beautiful paint
ings.