Martin's Geological Memoir on Western Sussex, 39 



that gentleman, in carefully and minutely examining the strata and 

 organic remains occurring in his own vicinity in Sussex, would be 

 extensively and zealously followed, and that every important assem- 

 blage of strata in our island, might have its respective local inquirer. 

 Since the publication of that review, the same means of augment- 

 ing our knowledge of the mineral structure of our country, and of 

 promoting the advancement of geology in general, have been ur- 

 gently recommended from the Chair of the Geological Society ; in 

 an Anniversary Address, as replete with comprehensive and correct 

 ideas on the present state and requirements of the science, as it is 

 with attempered views of geological theory, and the good-feeling 

 to which the social pursuit of useful knowledge can never fail to 

 give rise*. But we did not expect so soon to have the pleasure of 

 directing our readers' attention to another highly interesting work 

 of local geology, frorii which it appears, that, in one instance at least, 

 our hopes of the benefits that might accrue from the plan of in- 

 quiry we ventured to suggest, have been fully justified. We ob- 

 served, on the occasion alluded-to, that the "local inquirer," "bring- 

 ing the general ascertained facts of the science to bear upon the 

 peculiar phenomena of his own district, might obtain results reci- 

 procally illustrating those general facts, with the same success that 

 has attended the active labours of Mr. Mantell." Now this has 

 been precisely the case with the researches of Mr. Martin, detailed 

 in the work before us. For, having applied his general knowledge 

 of the structure of the earth to the particular examination of a por- 

 tion of the " Weald-denudation," he has become acquainted with 

 facts, to a certain extent peculiarly observable in this district, which 

 have led him to a theory — not, be it observed, an hypothesis,— o£ 

 derangement and denudation, and of the origin of Chalk -basins, 

 which will probably contribute materially to alter the views hitherto 

 prevalent among geologists, of the history of the superior and 

 supermedial strata in general. Nor is this result the less va- 

 luable, because ideas of a similar theory had been previously pro- 

 mulgated, without the author's knowledge, by two such accurate 

 observers as Mr. Poulett Scrope and Professor Buckland. And 

 there is yet another point of view in which the present Memoir be- 

 comes interesting ; for since the research which led to its composi- 

 tion was made many months before either the delivery of Dr. Fit- 

 ton's address to the Geological Society referred to above, or the 

 publication of our own review of Mr. Mantell's " Illustrations," we 

 may regard it as a proof that the importance of specific local in- 

 vestigations has already been appreciated and acted upon by geo- 

 logists j and that we may confidently expect, at no distant period, 

 memoirs of equal utility on other districts and formations. 



Mr. Martin, willing, we apprehend, to enlist all classes of intel- 

 lectual inquirers into the service of geology, prefaces his Memoir 

 with an " Advertisement to the general reader." In this he briefly 

 describes the Weald-denudation, illustrating his account by a profile 

 of that remarkable tract, and also adverts to the interest of the 



* See Phil. Mag. and Annals, N. S. vol. iii. p. 299. 



stupendous 



