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Quotation from Principles of Geology by Charles Lyell
“Thus, although we are mere sojourners on the surface of the planet, chained to a mere point in space, enduring but for a moment of time, the human mind is not only enabled to number worlds beyond the unassisted ken of mortal eye, but to trace the events of indefinite ages before the creation of our race”
Principles of Geology, Book I, Ch. XIII (Ninth edition (New York: D. Appleton, 1854), Project Gutenberg text)
The eloquent close of Book I on the reach of the human mind into deep time.
Citation: "Thus, although we are mere sojourners on the surface of the planet, chained to a mere point in space, enduring but for a moment of time, the human mind is not only enabled to number worlds beyond the unassisted ken of mortal eye, but to trace the events of indefinite ages before the creation of our race" — Charles Lyell, Principles of Geology, Book I, Ch. XIII (Ninth edition (New York: D. Appleton, 1854), Project Gutenberg text). (id lyell-principles-of-geology-q5)
Portrait: PSM V01 D242 and V20 D610 Charles Lyell, Unknown engraver, Public domain.
