Year: 1877

Prof. o. g. Marsh delivered last
Thursday an address before the
American Association of Science, in
session at Nashville, on the Intro
duction and Succession Of Vertebrate
Life in America The address oc-
cupies eight columns of the Nash
vile American. We subjoin the
opening paragraph and the closing
one, as illustrating the modes OF
thought, the manner of expression,
and the mental and moral character
of the speaker:


The origin of life, and the order of
succession in which its various forms
have appeared upon the earth, offer to
science its most inviting and most diff
cult field of research. Although the
primal origin of life is unknown, and
may perhaps never be known, vet no
one has a right to say how much of the
mystery now surrounding it science can
not remove. 1t is certainly within the
domain of science to determine when
the earth was first fitted to receive life.
and in what form the earliest life began.
To trace that life in its manifold chan
ges through past ages to the present is
more difficult task, but one from which
modern sciencadoes not shrink. In this
wide field every earnest effort will meet
some degree of success; every year will
add new and important facts; and every
generation will bring to light some law,
in accordance with which ancient life
has been changed into life as we see it
around us to-day. That such a develop
ment has taken place, no one will doubt
who has carefully traced any single
group of animals through its past histo-
ry, as recorded in the crust of the earth
The evidence Will be especially concIu-
sive, if the group selected belongs to
the higher forms of life, which are SEN
sitive to every change IN their surroun-
dings. But am sure need offer here
no argument for evolution; since to
doubt evolution to-day is to doubt sci
ence, and science is only another name
for truth.





The key to the mysteries of life
on earth is evolution, and with this
idea firmly rooted in the Professors
mind, he gives the history of the
Vertebrate life of extinct animals.
He concludes his elaborate address
in this way:


In this long history of ancient life
have SAID nothing of what Life really is.
And for the best of reasons, because /
know nothing. Here at present our
ignorance is dense, and yet we need not
despair Light, Heat, Electricity and
Magnetism, Chemical Affinity and mo-
ton, are now considered different forms
of the same force, and the opinion is
rapidly gaining ground that Life, or
vital force, is only another phase of the
same power: Possibly the great mys-
terry of Life may thus be solved, but
whether it be or not, a true faith in
Science admits no limit to its search for
Truth;


The great mystery of life, from
the Professors standpoint, or the
theory that life is another form or
phase Of the same power which makes
Heat and Electricity, was attempted
to be solved by a French student,
who recently. by the use Of the cleo
trio currents, succeeded in restoring
motion and consciousness TO the
dead body. But that which 10 the
mystery of human life was absent.
The body was not worth the labor
and expense of time devoted TO Civ
ing it motion and consciousness. AS
all moral sense was lacking. The
French Professor turned away i'm
despair--to let the body go TO the
worms and 10 dust. .a5 81.