atfirstbywhathecalls“aconspiracyofsilence。”andthenbyacontemptuousoppositionamongorthodoxscientists，attheheadofwhomstoodEliedeBeaumont。
　　Thisheavy，sluggishoppositionseemedimmovable：nothingthatBouchercoulddoorsayappearedtolightenthepressureoftheorthodoxtheologicalopinionbehindit；notevenhisbeliefthatthesefossilswereremainsofmendrownedattheDelugeofNoah，andthattheywereproofsoftheliteralexactnessofGenesisseemedtohelpthematter。Hisopponentsfeltinstinctivelythatsuchdiscoveriesbodeddangertotheacceptedview，andtheywereright：Boucherhimselfsoonsawthefollyoftryingtoaccountforthembytheorthodoxtheory。
　　AnditmustbeconfessedthatnotalittleforcewasaddedtotheoppositionbycertaincharacteristicsofBoucherdePertheshimself。Gifted，far-sighted，andvigorousashewas，hewashisownworstenemy。Carriedawaybyhisowndiscoveries，hejumpedtothemostastoundingconclusions。Theengravingsinthelatervolumeofhisgreatwork，showingwhathethoughttobehumanfeaturesandinscriptionsuponsomeoftheflintimplements，areworthyofacomicalmanac；andattheNationalMuseumofArchaeologyatSt。Germain，beneaththeshelvesbearingtheremainswhichhediscovered，whichmarkthebeginningofanewepochinscience，aredrawerscontainingspecimenshardlyworthyofapennymuseum，butfromwhichhedrewthemostunwarrantedinferencesastothelanguage，religion，andusagesofprehistoricman。
　　Bouchertriumphednonetheless。AmonghisbitteropponentsatfirstwasDr。Rigollot，whoin1855，searchingearnestlyformaterialstorefutetheinnovator，dugintothedepositsofSt。
　　Acheul——andwasconverted：forhefoundimplementssimilartothoseofAbbeville，makingstillmorecertaintheexistenceofmanduringtheDriftperiod。So，too，Gaudryayearlatermadesimilardiscoveries。
　　ButmostimportantwastheevidenceofthetruthwhichnowcamefromotherpartsofFranceandfromothercountries。TheFrenchleadersingeologicalsciencehadbeenheldbacknotonlybyaweofCuvierbutbyrecollectionsofScheuchzer。RidiculehasalwaysbeenaseriousweaponinFrance，andtheridiculewhichfinallyovertookthesupportersoftheattemptofScheuchzer，Mazurier，andothers，tosquaregeologywithGenesis，wasstillremembered。FromthegreatbodyofFrenchgeologists，therefore，Bouchersecuredatfirstnoaid。HissupportcamefromtheothersideoftheChannel。ThemosteminentEnglishgeologists，suchasFalconer，Prestwich，andLyell，visitedthebedsatAbbevilleandSt。Acheul，convincedthemselvesthatthediscoveriesofBoucher，Rigollot，andtheircolleagueswerereal，andthenquietlybutfirmlytoldEnglandthetruth。
　　AndnowthereappearedamosteffectiveallyinFrance。TheargumentsusedagainstBoucherdePerthesandsomeoftheotherearlyinvestigatorsofbonecaveshadbeenthattheimplementsfoundmighthavebeenwashedaboutandturnedoverbygreatfloods，andthereforethattheymightbeofarecentperiod；butin1861EdwardLartetpublishedanaccountofhisownexcavationsattheGrottoofAurignac，andtheproofthatmanhadexistedinthetimeoftheQuaternaryanimalswascomplete。Thisgrottohadbeencarefullysealedinprehistorictimesbyastoneatitsentrance；nointerferencefromdisturbingcurrentsofwaterhadbeenpossible；andLartetfound，inplace，bonesofeightoutofnineofthemainspeciesofanimalswhichcharacterizetheQuaternaryperiodinEurope；anduponthemmarksofcuttingimplements，andinthemidstofthemcoalsandashes。
　　CloseuponthesecametheexcavationsatEyziesbyLartetandhisEnglishcolleague，Christy。InboththesementherewasacarefulnessinmakingresearchesandasobrietyinstatingresultswhichconvertedmanyofthosewhohadbeenrepelledbytheenthusiasmofBoucherdePerthes。ThetwocolleaguesfoundinthestonydepositsmadebythewaterdroppingfromtheroofofthecaveatEyziesthebonesofnumerousanimalsextinctordepartedtoarcticregions——oneoftheseavertebraofareindeerwithaflintlance-headstillfastinit，andwiththesewerefoundevidencesoffire。
　　Discoverieslikethesewerethoroughlyconvincing；yettherestillremainedhereandtheregainsayersinthesupposedinterestofScripture，andthese，inspiteoftheconvincingarrayoffacts，insistedthatinsomeway，bysomecombinationofcircumstances，thesebonesofextinctanimalsofvastlyremoteperiodsmighthavebeenbroughtintoconnectionwithallthesehumanbonesandimplementsofhumanmakeinallthesedifferentplaces，refusingtoadmitthattheseancientrelicsofmenandanimalswereofthesameperiod。SuchgainsayersvirtuallyadoptedthereasoningofquaintoldPersons，who，havingmaintainedthatGodcreatedtheworld“aboutfivethousandsixehundredandoddeyearesagoe。”added，“AndiftheyaskewhatGodwasdoingbeforethisshortnumberofyeares，weanswerewithSt。
　　Augustinereplyingtosuchcuriousquestioners，thatHewasframingHellforthem。”Butanewclassofdiscoveriescametosilencethisopposition。AtLaMadeleineinFrance，attheKesslercaveinSwitzerland，andatvariousotherplaces，werefoundrudebutstrikingcarvingsandengravingsonboneandstonerepresentingsundryspecimensofthoselong-vanishedspecies；
　　andthesespecimens，orcastsofthem，weresoontobeseeninalltheprincipalmuseums。Theyshowedthehairymammoth，thecavebear，andvariousotheranimalsoftheQuaternaryperiod，carvedrudelybutvigorouslybycontemporarymen；and，tocompletethesignificanceofthesediscoveries，travellersreturningfromtheicyregionsofNorthAmericabroughtsimilarcarvingsofanimalsnowexistinginthoseregions，madebytheEskimosduringtheirlongarcticwintersto-day。[186]
　　[186]FortheexplorationsinBelgium，seeDupont，LeTempsPrehistoriqueenBelgique。ForthediscoveriesbyMcEneryandGodwinAustin，seeLubbock，PrehistoricTimes，London，1869，chap。x；alsoCartailhac，Joly，andothersabovecited。ForBoucherdePerthes，seehisAntiquitesCeltiquesetAntediluviennes，Paris，1847-’64，vol。iii，pp。526etseq。ForsundryextravagancesofBoucherdePerthes，seeReinach，DescriptionraisonneduMuseedeSt-Germain-en-Laye，Paris，1889，vol。i，pp。16etseq。ForthemixtureofsoundandabsurdresultsinBoucher’swork，seeCartailhacasabove，p。19。
　　Boucherhadpublishedin1838aworkentitledDelaCreation，butitseemstohavedroppeddeadfromthepress。FortheattemptsofScheuchzertoreconcilegeologyandGenesisbymeansoftheHomodiluviitestis，andsimilar“diluvianfossils。”seethechapteronGeologyinthisseries。TheoriginalspecimensoftheseprehistoricengravingsuponboneandstonemaybestbeseenattheArchaeologicalMuseumofSt-GermainandtheBritishMuseum。Forengravingsofsomeofthemostrecent，seeespeciallyDawkin’sEarlyManinBritain，chap。vii，andtheDescriptionduMuseedeSt-Germain。AstotheKessleretchingsandtheirantiquity，seeD。G。Brinton，inScience，August12，1892。Forcomparisonofthisprehistoricworkwiththatproducedto-daybytheEskimosandothers，seeLubbock，PrehistoricTimes，chaptersxandxiv。Forverystrikingexhibitionsofthissameartisticgiftinahigherfieldto-daybydescendantsofthebarbariantribesofnorthernAmerica，seetheveryremarkableillustrationsinRink，DanishGreenland，London，1877，especiallythoseinchap。xiv。
　　Asaresultofthesediscoveriesandotherslikethem，showingthatmanwasnotonlycontemporarywithlong-extinctanimalsofpastgeologicalepochs，butthathehadalreadydevelopedintoastageofcultureabovepuresavagery，thetideofthoughtbegantoturn。Especiallywasthisseenin1863，whenLyellpublishedthefirsteditionofhisGeologicalEvidenceoftheAntiquityofMan；andthefactthathehadsolongopposedthenewideasgaveforcetotheclearandconclusiveargumentwhichledhimtorenouncehisearlyscientificbeliefs。
　　Researchamongtheevidencesofman’sexistenceintheearlyQuaternary，andpossiblyintheTertiaryperiod，wasnowpressedforwardalongthewholeline。In1864GabrielMortilletfoundedhisreviewdevotedtothissubject；andin1865thefirstofaseriesofscientificcongressesdevotedtosuchresearcheswasheldinItaly。TheseinvestigationswentonvigorouslyinallpartsofFranceandspreadrapidlytoothercountries。TheexplorationswhichDupontbeganin1864，inthecavesofBelgium，gavetothemuseumatBrusselseightythousandflintimplements，fortythousandbonesofanimalsoftheQuaternaryperiod，andanumberofhumanskullsandbonesfoundmingledwiththeseremains。FromGermany，Italy，Spain，America，India，andEgyptsimilarresultswerereported。
　　EspeciallynoteworthywerethefurtherexplorationsofthecavesanddriftthroughouttheBritishIslands。ThediscoverybyColonelWood，In1861，offlinttoolsinthesamestratawithbonesoftheearlierformsoftherhinoceros，wasbuttypicalofmany。AthoroughexaminationofthecavernsofBrixhamandTorquay，byPengellyandothers，madeitstillmoreevidentthatmanhadexistedintheearlyQuaternaryperiod。TheexistenceofaperiodbeforetheGlacialepochorbetweendifferentglacialepochsinEngland，whentheEnglishmanwasasavage，usingrudestonetools，wasthenfullyascertained，and，whatwasmoresignificant，therewereclearlyshownagradationandevolutioneveninthehistoryofthatperiod。ItwasfoundthatthisancientStoneepochshowedprogressanddevelopment。Intheupperlayersofthecaves，withremainsofthereindeer，who，althoughhehasmigratedfromtheseregions，stillexistsinmorenorthernclimates，werefoundstoneimplementsrevealingsomelittleadvanceincivilization；nextbelowthese，sealedupinthestalagmite，came，asarule，anotherlayer，inwhichtheremainsofreindeerwererareandthoseofthemammothmorefrequent，theimplementsfoundinthisstratumbeinglessskilfullymadethanthoseintheupperandmorerecentlayers；
　　and，finally，inthelowestlevels，nearthefloorsoftheseancientcaverns，withremainsofthecavebearandothersofthemostancientextinctanimals，werefoundstoneimplementsevidentlyofayetruderandearlierstageofhumanprogress。NofairlyunprejudicedmancanvisitthecaveandmuseumatTorquaywithoutbeingconvincedthattherewereagradationandanevolutioninthesebeginningsofhumancivilization。Theevidenceiscomplete；themassesofbrecciatakenfromthecave，withthevarioussoils，implements，andbonescarefullykeptinplace，putthisprogressbeyondadoubt。
　　Allthisindicatedagreatantiquityforthehumanrace，butinitlaythegermsofstillanothergreattruth，evenmoreimportantandmoreseriousinitsconsequencestotheoldertheologicview，whichwillbediscussedinthefollowingchapter。
　　Butnewevidencescamein，showingayetgreaterantiquityofman。Remainsofanimalswerefoundinconnectionwithhumanremains，whichshowednotonlythatmanwaslivingintimesmoreremotethantheearlierofthenewinvestigatorshaddareddream，butthatsomeoftheseearlyperiodsofhisexistencemusthavebeenofimmenselength，embracingclimaticchangesbetokeningdifferentgeologicalperiods；forwithremainsoffireandhumanimplementsandhumanboneswerefoundnotonlybonesofthehairymammothandcavebear，woollyrhinoceros，andreindeer，whichcouldonlyhavebeendepositedthereinatimeofarcticcold，butbonesofthehyena，hippopotamus，sabre-toothedtiger，andthelike，whichcouldonlyhavebeendepositedwhentherewasintheseregionsatorridclimate。TheconjunctionoftheseremainsclearlyshowedthatmanhadlivedinEnglandearlyenoughandlongenoughtopassthroughtimeswhentherewasarcticcoldandtimeswhentherewastorridheat；timeswhengreatglaciersstretchedfardownintoEnglandandindeedintothecontinent，andtimeswhenEnglandhadalandconnectionwiththeEuropeancontinent，andtheEuropeancontinentwithAfrica，allowingtropicalanimalstomigratefreelyfromAfricatothemiddleregionsofEngland。
　　Thequestionoftheoriginofmanataperiodvastlyearlierthanthesacredchronologistspermittedwasthusabsolutelysettled，butamongthequestionsregardingtheexistenceofmanataperiodyetmoreremote，theDriftperiod，therewasonewhichforatimeseemedtogivethechampionsofsciencesomedifficulty。
　　TheorthodoxleadersinthetimeofBoucherdePerthes，andforaconsiderabletimeafterward，hadaweaponofwhichtheymadevigoroususe：thestatementthatnohumanboneshadyetbeendiscoveredinthedrift。Thesupportersofsciencenaturallyansweredthatfewifanyotherbonesassmallasthoseofmanhadbeenfound，andthatthisfactwasanadditionalproofofthegreatlengthoftheperiodsincemanhadlivedwiththeextinctanimals；for，sincespecimensofhumanworkmanshipprovedman’sexistenceasfullyasremainsofhisbonescoulddo，theabsenceorevenrarityofhumanandothersmallbonessimplyindicatedthelongperiodsoftimerequiredfordissolvingthemaway。
　　YetBoucher，inspiredbythegeniushehadalreadyshown，andfilledwiththespiritofprophecy，declaredthathumanboneswouldyetbefoundinthemidstoftheflintimplements，andin1863heclaimedthatthisprophecyhadbeenfulfilledbythediscoveryatMoulinQuignonofaportionofahumanjawdeepintheearlyQuaternarydeposits。Buthistriumphwasshort-lived：
　　theoppositionridiculedhisdiscovery；theyshowedthathehadofferedapremiumtohisworkmenforthediscoveryofhumanremains，andtheynaturallydrewtheinferencethatsometrickylabourerhaddeceivedhim。TheresultofthiswasthatthemenofsciencefeltobligedtoacknowledgethattheMoulinQuignondiscoverywasnotproven。