The beginning : its when and its how

Front matter

Voktex Motion. — The Friday evening discourse at the Koyal Institution last week was given by Professor Osborne lieynolds, of Owens College, Manchester, his sub- ; i/ting '• Vortex Motion." i'roi'essor Keynolds cona- * to tlie long series of distinguished leca the place he occupied and delighted ject ocing '• Vortox Motion." i'roi'essor Keynolds o mended by referring to tlie long series of distinguished leers who had stood in the place he occupied and delighted *•**' " ^^^Accpjifttft^ot the triumphs of mina over

*— jaigj^t. father be tuter^ land sr or pgjnRoi r„ HPU" P<M9mow

THE BEGINNING.

Preface

' The beginning ' is a topic which has occupied many a pen, from the days of old to the present time. Nevertheless, the continuous progress of modern scientific discovery renders it needful, from time to time, to amend our views and widen our field of research. The science of Greology is that by which the attention of inquirers has been hitherto chiefly engrossed. The phenomena which it has brought to light appeared at first sight so completely to undermine the preconceptions imbibed from ancient records and traditions, that much controversy was awakened. But the character of those phenomena and their true bearings are now so well understood, that it is no longer needful to dwell on them in detail.

Touching, therefore, but lightly on the facts of Geology, the following inquiry takes a wider range. The probable antiquity of matter, its earliest condition, the constitution of the luminiferous ether, and the probable manner in which matter may have become distributed into definite masses, constituting suns and planets, are first considered. Recent investigations have enlarged our knowledge of the solar energies, and their relation to the phenomena of life. To this subject accordingly has been given careful attention. The phenomena of organization, and in particular those connected with reproduction, are examined somevi

PKEFACE.

what in detail. The way being thus opened for a review of the theories which have been propounded, in reference to the first origin of organic genera and species, this interesting topic is discussed at large.

To the main body of the work has been added a second part on the subject of the possibility of reconciling the Hebrew records, relating to 'The Beginning,' with modern scientific discoveries. The Notes contain some details, which could not have been so well introduced into the text.

The illustrations have reference to that portion of the work which relates to organic forms, and the objects represented are nearly all microscopical. While a few of the drawings of individual objects were copied from other works, the larger proportion were taken from actual specimens, some of them of great rarity. My best thanks are due to those kind friends by whom many of the objects delineated have been so liberally supplied. To my esteemed friend the Eeverend Walter J. Whiting, I am specially indebted for the beautiful photographs, from which plates N and P were taken.