In many of the modern text books epitomizing the story of the first discoveries of the Antiquity of Man and of his having been the contemporary of extinct mammalia, the part played by MacEnery, Pengelly and the members of the Torquay Natural History Society often receives very little adequate representation. Usually most of the praise is meted out to Boucher de Perthes, and it is quite forgotten that it was the spade work of these English pioneers which induced Falconer, Prestwich and Evans to take up the cause of the famous archaeologist of Abbeville. An attempt therefore will be made to relate in their proper order the series of incidents that led up to the revolution of scientific opinion in 1859 on the antiquity of the human race. These when seen in their true sequence, from Kent’s Cavern to the valley of the Somme, are also the vindication of MacEnery’s discoveries.

As early as 1840, Godwin-Austen read a paper to the Geological Society of London On the Bone Caves of Devonshire (March 25th), but in it he made no mention of MacEnery; nor did he, as is generally asserted, speak of the flint implements. Perhaps he thought it politic to avoid the subject as Buckland was in the chair. A year later (MacEnery died in the February) Godwin-Austen and Buckland had ‘an interesting discussion’ at the Plymouth meeting of the British Association.

‘Dukie, dear, I think Zania most suitable.’ Lady Trevor tactfully withdrew after delivering the blow. With one ingratiating look behind that might be interpreted,’ Well, just think it over quietly,’ she swept out of the room.

Of course his mother had said much more than that. She had talked for half an hour and enjoyed herself enormously. Like the experienced general she was, she had given no indication that this was to be a great offensive. Lady Trevor began with a little preliminary skirmish round the pages of a Sunday paper, and closed in suddenly on the Society column. Wasn’t this photograph of Miss Zania Wilkins just too sweet! Dukie must really look at it, and read what nice things they said about dear Zania. Sweet girl, of course she deserved every word of praise they could find to say about her. And they said it so cleverly, too. ‘This charming débutante’ and ‘this beautiful blonde’ . . . what happy phrases, that hit off darling Zania too perfectly. Didn’t he think so? Of course he had met her several times recently (yes, she came out at the Wen-ham’s dance, and what a sensation she created too!', and he would be meeting her constantly through the season. If only Providence had blessed Lady Trevor with a daughter, she would have wished her to be like Zania, so fair and frolicsome, full of such high spirits, and bubbling over with life. It was wonderful how the dear child kept it up so well. Lady Trevor supposed it was youth, beautiful youth, and sighed.

It was at this point in the monologue that the big attack began to develop. Mother wanted to talk seriously to her big, bad boy. Well, he wasn’t really bad at all, but the best big baby on earth.

After the experience of the last few years the . ordinary man might be pardoned if he adapted Ecclesiastes and said : ‘Of making many conferences there is no end : and much talking is a weariness to the flesh : and this also is vanity.’

Ruined by the legacies of war, economic confusion, wastage of all sorts, and more than all by a profound psychological restlessness, the symptom of an even deeper spiritual aberratian, the nations of Europe have met in conference after conference and have sought one remedy after another until, like the poor creature of the Gospel, they ‘have suffered many things of many physicians and are nothing the better, but rather the worse'

In such circumstances, what hope for the world’s peace is to be found in further conference? Of what use to continue to chew the cud of bitter argument which the heritage of mutual distrust renders inconclusive, while the national divisions which run like fissures along the frontiers of Europe have made its peoples no less strangers than enemies? More of these international meetings would seem mockery unless some hitherto untried factor were introduced into their councils.

The periodical recurrence of organized movements intended to effect a change in the legal position in regard to divorce in this country, apart from its positive effect in stimulating resistance, has a reflective interest for Catholics. The movements themselves indicate a state of mind in those taking part in them, but they also throw a very interesting light on the social mentality in which they function, and against which they attempt a reaction. It would be a pity if our absorption in the conflict itself should lead us to overlook something of this background against which it is staged. For the major significance of each successive attempt to weaken the basis of our Christian morality is the fact that it is a reaction, attempted by the advocates of change, and originating with them, and is not the expression of any wider movement of thought or conduct among the people.

The question of divorce is only one phase of a conflict in which the issue is now joined over a wide area. If it should be true that the demand for easier divorce, and for the extension of facilities for divorce, is really only a phenomenon which draws attention to a widespread moral collapse that is already effected, then the Catholic Church in its effort for the conversion of England is working against the tide. But if, on the other hand, this demand is artificial, if it is not a tendency, if it is not a straw floating gently on the surface under the propulsion of some swift undercurrent, but merely the illusion of movement which a fitful gust will create on still, deep water, then the Church is working under conditions in which success may well be startling not only in its coming but also in its extent.