THE ANTIQUITY OF MAN.

Thames Star, Volume XV, Issue 4946, 15 November 1884, Page 2

THE ANTIQUITY OF MAN.

(To the Edi'.or of the Evening Stab.)

Bkj,—Eelativo geological chronology establishes the duration of the Posttertiary period up to the age of Bronze as at least 300,000 years. That man existed through that period is an established fact. The sublime science of geology is not a human invention—it is based upon immutable principles which have not been made but discovered and applied by man—just as the science of trigonometry, the principles of which exist in external nature, and are applied by man to demonstrate astronomical prob* lems ; or just as co-ordinates, or nature's symbols are essential to navigation, so the principles of geology, with itsrelatire chronology, are likewise applied to determine man's antiquity. New discoveries are constantly being made on this subject, and new ideas are daily unfolding the germs of discoveries yet to be made ; separate sciences have been, and are being, cultivated to correct mistakes, and thus the investigation of truth to the earnest seeker, is promoted by the frank exposition of congenial sciences. The investigation of the antiquity of man does not, however, rest on the mere calcula* . tions of relative geological chronology, but also upon the changes in climate, fauna, and geography since his appearance, which all prove the great antiquity of the race. Prior to the Neolithic time there were long ages of incalculable duration, iv which the intelligence of man was but dawning, and it was not until the glacial changes that completely destroyed the pliocene fauna that human progress commenced. In recent times the evidence of man's antiquity on the globe has greatlyincreased. It has become clear to all but the prejudiced and ignorant that to prehistoric man an age must be accorded which dwarfs into insignificance the most ancient chronologies. Had it not been the case that certain creeds and dogmas have been made to depend upon limiting the age of man to 6,000 years, science generally would have made greater and more rapid progress; to-day, however, neither prophets or people who understand geology or the revelation of nature, venture to deny the antiquity of man. Egypologists confirm geologists in the statement that works of art exhibiting an advanced state of civilisation are in existence, that prove man to have been on the earth lone ages since. It is admitted on all hands that these works do exist; and that they were -, made in these prehistoric times. The much misunderstood Book of Genesis mentions a race of intelligent beings exist* ing before the Tertiary period, and from other biblical and historical fragments it may be fairly concluded that a powerful race existed in the time of Adam, that it was of immense antiquity, and that it was not extinct in the time of Moses. Nature is always grand. In her exists the principles of all true sciences, the whole of which—especially ethnology, anthropology and history, aided by ocular evidence confirm through rigid induction the conclusions of geology. The propositions of that science-like statement of the earth's mobility are startling to faith and the senses. The story of Galileo should, however, lead teachers and people to study a science which will enlarge their limited views of the nature of the universe —I am, &c, Cbbdenda.

Isaac,' he said, as he entered the store with the evening paper in his hand." wool ass gone oop two cents per pound." "Yes, fadder." " Mark everythings on dot counter oop twenty per cent." "But all dose goods vhas ootton, fadder." "Bey vhas? Veil, dot makes no defrence. I see dot two button mills haf failed, and der price of buttons must go oop. Isaacs, you vhaa nefer a rich man until you keep your eyes oudt pehind you."

As the fly season is again upon us, it is pleasant to ba again informed that the two ejes of the common house-fly are comcojed of 8,000 little globules, through every one of whinh it is capable of forming an image of the object, putting us at the merej of the observation of thousands of eyes in one fly.

Pabents, do not use Tile drugs or nosfrutrß iv your families, but us* pure Hop B.tter?t Be-i and wad