292 Geological Society, 



and philosophic ; and the style of his writings is considered by com- 

 petent judges as remarkable for its purity and good taste. But those 

 only, who have had the pleasure of being personally acquainted 

 with Mr. Brocchi, could appreciate his patriotism and philanthropy, 

 the variety of his acquirements, and the spirit and eloquence which 

 rendered his conversation more than commonly instructive. 



The printed " Proceedings" of the Society, and the portion of the 

 Transactions published within the year, are the best records of our 

 contributions to geological science during that period : and the vo- 

 lume now in progress will, I trust, be found to have contributed in 

 no small degree to the advancement of inductive Geology. New 

 monsters, it is true, have not been brought to light from the depths of 

 our strata ; nor has Zoology been enriched with new genera, by such 

 rare coincidences of genius and good fortune as distinguish the last 

 volume of our Transactions : but the Geology of England has been 

 illustrated by various memoirs, on tracts not previously examined ; 

 and by more exact and extended researches on portions of our strata, 

 the general relations of which had been before determined. Cor- 

 rect data have thus been recorded, to which inquirers in other coun- 

 tries may refer, for the purpose of comparison with their own. 



I have to congratulate you upon the progress which has been 

 made in the Trigonometrical survey of Ireland - } a w r ork designed 

 with all the skill of modern science, and committed for the execution 

 to such hands, and with such instruments, as to leave no doubt of the 

 result. Maps alone, such as this survey will produce, are an acqui- 

 sition of the first importance to our inquiries ; since they form one of 

 the chief and indispensable instruments of geological research : — but 

 with these, in the present case, will be connected a series of obser- 

 vations more strictly geological, which cannot fail to throw great light 

 upon the structure and composition of the country to which the ope- 

 rations extend. The Tract, which I now show you, has been drawn 

 up by one of the principal officers engaged in the Irish survey*, and 

 lithographized for the use of the subordinate surveyors j and it con- 

 tains so clear and able a system of instruction for their guidance, il- 

 lustrated by sectional sketches, as greatly to facilitate the task of 

 geological investigation. The surveyors will thus accumulate a series 

 of specimens, the precise places of which will have been recorded in 

 maps upon a very large scale, — on which also the heights above the 

 sea will be determined, in points almost innumerable j while sections 

 are taken in well chosen situations, for the purpose of illustrating 

 more effectually the order of the strata. The ultimate results of ope- 

 rations so well combined, must be equally honourable to those who 

 are engaged in this vast work, and fertile in various and substantial 

 advantage to physical science. 



But while the survey of Ireland is in progress, it is to be hoped that 

 that of England will not cease to advance ; and that no great delay 

 will take place in the publication of the maps which have been actu- 

 ally prepared by the Ordnance. To geologists who have travelled in 

 England, I need not mention the benefits that our science has derived 

 * Captain Pringle, of the Royal Engineers. 



from 



