Whewell calls the problems involved in the study of man the palætiological sciences, in which we reason from effect to cause, seeking from phenomena actually existing, to ascertain their origin and causes. Early investigators, like Buffon and Blumenbach, first devoted themselves to a survey of the elements which distinguish him. They laid a basis in carefully classified facts, and their method of study has been fruitful in the science of geology. The subject is truly said to be one of the broadest which can engage the human mind, and man, by his intellectual and moral being, stands above every other form of animal nature, dwelling in a world apart from them all.
With some naturalists the moral and intellectual are sunk into the physical, and those elements which so widely separate man from beast are considered as simply developments of the animal instincts. Many psychologists and linguists, while confining themselves to their own specialties as bearing on man’s nature and origin, have undervalued the labors of their compeers, and neglected the results of each other’s inquiries in drawing their conclusions.
Light is shed on the early history of man, from his relation to the glacial period by Lyell, who contends that there were two ice-ages, with a milder interval between them, covering a period of not less than many thousands of years; while Professor Braun gives to the first ice-age a period of about ten thousand years.
“We measure life by years, but not so God.A thousand ages are as one short dayWith Him. He counts by deeds not fleeting hours,And he who speaks a gentle word, or givesA cup of water to a fainting one,Will count more birthdays in Heaven’s registerThan if he lived a million centuriesUnto himself alone.Here all our countless actions touch the springsThat send a thrill throughout infinity;On earth our erring fingers strike the keysThat shall resound in endless cadencesOf harmony or discord evermore.”
“We measure life by years, but not so God.A thousand ages are as one short dayWith Him. He counts by deeds not fleeting hours,And he who speaks a gentle word, or givesA cup of water to a fainting one,Will count more birthdays in Heaven’s registerThan if he lived a million centuriesUnto himself alone.Here all our countless actions touch the springsThat send a thrill throughout infinity;On earth our erring fingers strike the keysThat shall resound in endless cadencesOf harmony or discord evermore.”
“We measure life by years, but not so God.A thousand ages are as one short dayWith Him. He counts by deeds not fleeting hours,And he who speaks a gentle word, or givesA cup of water to a fainting one,Will count more birthdays in Heaven’s registerThan if he lived a million centuriesUnto himself alone.Here all our countless actions touch the springsThat send a thrill throughout infinity;On earth our erring fingers strike the keysThat shall resound in endless cadencesOf harmony or discord evermore.”
“We measure life by years, but not so God.
A thousand ages are as one short day
With Him. He counts by deeds not fleeting hours,
And he who speaks a gentle word, or gives
A cup of water to a fainting one,
Will count more birthdays in Heaven’s register
Than if he lived a million centuries
Unto himself alone.
Here all our countless actions touch the springs
That send a thrill throughout infinity;
On earth our erring fingers strike the keys
That shall resound in endless cadences
Of harmony or discord evermore.”
But it is a difficult task to review the work of those writers who, by virtue of their greater familiarity with this subject, are more competent to express opinions; and the only justification for the proposed paper lies in the fact that the writer desires to bring together, in as few periods as possible, materials which others have furnished, together with such reportsof investigations as have been made by eminent men of science, bearing upon this topic. It may also be suggested that many facts will be added heretofore unpublished, the same having been obtained by means of direct correspondence with various geologists and historians whose names command no little weight in character, original investigation and scientific attainments in Europe and America. It is hoped therefore that these personal labors will not be a recasting of simply old material, but a contribution of new facts and inferences not before given to the public. As the patronage afforded to such a paper would probably be too scanty to make it attractive to publishers, it may be added that it is contemplated to put these results beyond the reach of ordinary dangers, by embodying them in a publication privately printed.
TRANSCRIBER’S NOTESSilently corrected typographical errors.Retained anachronistic and non-standard spellings as printed.
TRANSCRIBER’S NOTES