154 LONDON AND CAMBRIDG [ch. vii. 



clear as daylight, in fact I felt in many parts some mortifi- 

 cation at thinking how geologists have laboured and strug- 

 gled at proving what seems, as you have put it, so evidently 

 probable. I read with much interest your sketch of the 

 secondary deposits ; you have contrived to make it quite 

 " juicy," as we used to say as children of a good story. 

 There was also much new to me, and I have to copy out 

 some fifty notes and references. It must do good, the here- 

 tics against common-sense must yield. . . . By the way, do 

 you recollect my telling you how much I disliked the man- 

 ner X. referred to his other works, as much as to say, " You 

 must, ought, and shall buy everything I have written." 

 To my mind, you have somehow quite avoided this ; your 

 references only seem to say, " I can't tell you all in this 

 work, else I would, so you must go to the Principles ; " and 

 many a one, I trust, you will send there, and make them, 

 like me, adorers of the good science of rock-breaking.* 

 You will see I am in a fit of enthusiasm, and good cause I 

 have to be, when I find you have made such infinitely 

 more use of my Journal than I could have anticipated. I 

 will say no more about the book, for it is all praise. I must, 

 however, admire the elaborate honesty with which you quote 

 the words of all living and dead geologists. 



My Scotch expedition answered brilliantly ; my trip in 

 the steam-packet was absolutely pleasant, and I enjoyed the 

 spectacle, wretch that I am, of two ladies, and some small 

 children quite sea-sick, I being well. Moreover, on my re- 

 turn from Glasgow to Liverpool, I triumphed in a similar 

 manner over some full-grown men. I stayed one whole 

 day in Edinburgh, or more truly on Salisbury Oraigs ; I 

 want to hear some day what you think about that classical 

 ground, the structure was to me new and rather curious, 

 that is, if I understand it right. I crossed from Edinburgh 

 in gigs and carts (and carts without springs, as I never shall 

 forget) to Loch Leven. I was disappointed in the scenery, 

 and reached Glen Eoy on Saturday evening, one week after 

 leaving Marlborough Street. Here I enjoyed five [?] days 

 of the most beautiful weather with gorgeous sunsets, and 



* In a letter of Sept. 13 he wrote : " It will be a curious point to geologists 

 hereafter to note how long a man's name will support a theory so completely 

 exposed as that of De Beaumont has been by you; you say you '-be^in to 

 hope that the great principles there insisted on will stand the test of time.' 

 Begin, to hope : why, the possibility of a doubt has never crossed my mind for 

 many a day. This may be very unphilosophical, but my geological salvation 

 is staked on it." 



