46

THE OLD RED SANDSTONE.

remain well nigli a chasm. Should my facts regarding it,—facts constituting the slow gatherings of years,—serve as step-ping-stones laid across, until such time as geologists of greaterskill and more extended research shall have bridged over thegap, I shall have completed half my design. Should theworking man be encouraged by my modicum of success toimprove his opportunities of observation, I shall have accom-plished the whole of it. It cannot be too extensively known,that nature is vast and knowledge limited, and that no indi-vidual, however humble in place or acquirement, need de-spair of adding to the general fund.