Excerpt from First Lessons in Science: Designed for the Use of Children
From the author's Preface it will be seen that this little work was drawn up for the use of a class of adult natives of his diocese more than a quarter of a century ago. It is scarcely necessary to say that during this interval much progress has been made in Astronomical research, in reference more especially to questions relating to the distance of the Sun from the Earth, and to the probable origin of the planetary system. The former is now generally acknowledged to be somewhat less than it was supposed to be; and for the latter, some sort of hypothesis of growth from a nebulous condition seems likely to win its way to acceptance. But on neither point has any definite determination been arrived at. It has been thought best, therefore, to leave the figures as they were set down by the author, one or two notes only being added for the purpose of showing that they are not given as the final expressions of facts not yet accurately ascertained. So for the age of man on the earth, the author's language must be taken only as affirming the comparatively late appearance of man in the world; and this is a fact which the geological knowledge of the present day has not tended to call into question. This work is, therefore, laid before the English public with full confidence that its statements are supported by the latest scientific conclusions of the day, and that the simplicity and clearness with which the various subjects are treated must render it especially useful in our national and provincial schools.
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