The scientific Reader will feel that much value has been added to the present work, from the whole of the Paleontology, during its progress through the Press, having had the great advantage of passing under the revision of Mr. Broderip, and from the botanical part having being submitted to Mr. Robert Brown. I have also to acknowledge my obligations to Mr. Clift for his important assistance in the anatomy of the Megatherium; to Professor Agassiz of Neuchatel for his unreserved communications of his discoveries relating to Fossil Fishes; to Mr. Owen for his revision of some parts of my Chapter on Mollusks; and to Mr. James Sowerby for his assistance in engraving most of my figures of radiated animals, and some of those of Mollusks. To all these Gentlemen I feel it my duty thus to offer my public acknowledgments. Many obligations to other scientific friends are also acknowledged in the course of the work. The Wood-cuts have been executed by Mr. Fisher and Mr. Byfield, and most of the Steel plates of Mollusks by Mr. Zeitter. NOTICE. THE series of Treatises, of which the present is one, is published under the following circumstances: The RIGHT HONOURABLE and REVEREND FRANCIS HENRY, EARL of BRIDGEWATER, died in the month of February, 1829; and by his last Will and Testament, bearing date the 25th of February, 1825, he directed certain Trustees therein named to invest in the public funds the sum of Eight thousand pounds sterling; this sum, with the accruing dividends thereon, to be held at the disposal of the President, for the time being, of the Royal Society of London, to be paid to the person or persons nominated by him. The Testator further directed, that the person or persons selected by the said President should be appointed to write, print, and publish one thousand copies of a work On the Power, Wisdom, and Goodness of God, as manifested in the Creation; illustrating such work by all reasonable arguments, as for instance the variety and formation of God's creatures in the animal, vegetable, and mineral kingdoms; the effect of digestion, and thereby of conversion ; the construction of the hand of man, and an infinite variety of other arguments; as also by discoveries ancient and modern, in arts, sciences, and the whole extent of literature. He desired, moreover, that the profits arising from the sale of the works so published should be paid to the authors of the works. xi The late President of the Royal Society, Davies Gilbert, Esq. requested the assistance of his Grace the Archbishop of Canterbury and of the Bishop of London, in determining upon the best mode of carrying into effect the intentions of the Testator. Acting with their advice, and with the concurrence of a nobleman immediately connected with the deceased, Mr. Davies Gilbert appointed the following eight gentlemen to write separate Treatises on the different branches of the subject as here stated: THE REV. THOMAS CHALMERS, D.D. PROFESSOR OF DIVINITY IN THE UNIVERSITY OF EDINBURGH. ON THE POWER, WISDOM, AND GOODNESS OF GOD JOHN KIDD, M. D. F. R. S. REGIUS PROFESSOR OF MEDICINE IN THE UNIVERSITY OF OXFORD. ON THE ADAPTATION OF EXTERNAL NATURE TO THE PHYSICAL CONDITION OF MAN. THE REV. WILLIAM WHEWELL, M. A. F. R. S. FELLOW OF TRINITY COLLEGE, CAMBRIDGE. ASTRONOMY AND GENERAL PHYSICS CONSIDERED WITH REFERENCE TO NATURAL THEOLOGY. SIR CHARLES BELL, K. G. H. F. R. S. L. & E. THE HAND: ITS MECHANISM AND VITAL ENDOWMENTS AS EVINCING DESIGN. PETER MARK ROGET, M. D. FELLOW OF AND SECRETARY TO THE ROYAL SOCIETY. ON ANIMAL AND VEGETABLE PHYSIOLOGY. xii THE REV. WILLIAM BUCKLAND, D. D. F. R. S. CANON OF CHRIST CHURCH, AND READER IN GEOLOGY AND MINERALOGY IN THE UNIVERSITY OF OXFORD. ON GEOLOGY AND MINERALOGY. THE REV. WILLIAM KIRBY, M. A. F. R. S. ON THE HISTORY, HABITS, AND INSTINCTS OF ANIMALS. WILLIAM PROUT, M. D. F. R. S. CHEMISTRY, METEOROLOGY, AND THE FUNCTION of DIGESTION, CONSIDERED WITH REFERENCE TO NATURAL THEOLOGY. HIS ROYAL HIGHNESS THE DUKE OF SUSSEX, President of the Royal Society, having desired that no unnecessary delay should take place in the publication of the above mentioned treatises, they will appear at short intervals, as they are ready for publication. |