The Pulaski citizen. [volume] (Pulaski, Tenn.) 1866-current, 1883-08-09
The TsndenoY d Scientific INQUIRY.

Sir Henry Barkly, G. c. M. G.,
F. r. S., took the chair at the an
nual meeting of the Victoria phil
osophical) Institute, at z, Adelphi
Terrace, London, in the last week
in June. The Honorary Secretary,
Captain F. Petrie, F. r. S. L., read
the report, by which it appeared
that the Observation-Disclosures to in
vestigate all questions of philoso-
ply and science, and more especi
ally any alleged to initiate against
the the truth of revelation-had
now risen to 1,O20 members, of
whom about one-third were Foreign,
Colonial, and American, and new
applications to join were constantly
coming in. An increasing number
of leading men of science had joined
its ranks, and men of science,
whether in it's ranks or not, coop
Grated in its work. During the SEES
sion q car,iul analysis had been un-
dertaken by Prof Stokes, F. r s.,
Sir j. r. Bennett, Vice Pres R. s.,
Professor Beole, F. r. S., and 9th
ers, of the various theories of evO
luton, and it was reported that,
as yet, no scientific evidence had
been met with giving cOunteDance
to the theory that man had been
evolved from lower order in ami
mails; and Professor Virchow had
declared that there was a complete
absence of any fossil type of low
er stage in the development of man ;
and that any positive advance in
the province of prehistoric anthro-
pology has actually removed us
further from proofs Of sgch connec-
tion-namely, with the rest Of the
animal kingdom. In this, PROBES
sor Barrande, the great pal@ontolo
gist, had concurred, declaring that
in none of his. Investigations had he
found any one fossil species devel
ope into another. In fact, it would
seem that no scientific man had yet
discovered link between man and
the ape, between fish aud frog, Of
between the vertebrate and the in
vertebrate animals; further, there
was no evidence of any one species
fossil or other, losing its peculiar
characteristics to acquire new ones
belonging to other speeIesi for in.
Istance, however similar the dog tt
the wolf, there was no connecting
| link, and among extinct species
the same was the case; there was
no gradual passage from one to an
other. Moreover, the first animals
that existed on the earth were by
no. means to be considered as in
ferior or degraded. Among other
investigations one into the truth OF
the argument from Design in Ma
ture had been carried on, and had
hitherto tended to fully confirm
that doctrine. The question of the
Assyrian inscriptions and the re-
cent BabylOnian researches had
been under the leadership of Mr..
Hormuzd Rassam, who, on bis ar
rival from Ninevah, had given full
report of the extent Of his new ex-
cavations, which were of the high
est interest. His discovery of
Sepharvaim, one of the first cities
mentioded in Holy Writ, was most
important. Professor Delitsch and
others aided in the considerations
of the discoveries and the inscrip-
tions found. Two meetings had
been held to consider the questions
raised in Mr.. Herbert Spencer's
Philosophy, and Lord O'Neill and
others had shown, by careful an
alysis of his arguments, that
greater attention to accuracy in
statement would have kept Mr..
Spencer from arriving at those has
ty conclusions which had made his
philosophy remarkable. 1t was an
nounced that the results of expiora-
tions now being carried on in Egypt
would be laid before the Institute
early in the winter. The discov-
cries were very important, especial
ly that of the site Of SQccOth, which
like the results of the survey of
Palestine, was confrmatory of he
Sacred Record. The quarterly
Journal, which had published for
sixteen years, was now issued free
to all members and associates,
whether at home or abroad. Sew
eral interesting speeches having
been made, the home members and
their friends adjourned to the Mu-
scum, where refreshments were