1851.] 293 



The execution of this work had engaged Mr. Taylor's time, not necessarily- 

 devoted to the practice of his profession, during many years of his life. His 

 heart was set upon the completion of it, and when approaching to a con- 

 clusion it drew his mind from all other pursuits. While it was going through 

 the press, he became so ill that, for many weeks, his physician and his family 

 had little expectation of his living to see it completed. During this period many 

 of the sheets had to pass through the press without his inspection, which fact 

 naturally produced some errors. When the work reached the hands of those 

 interested in the statistics of coal, its geology, and its geographical distribution, 

 it was received with the most entire satisi'action. His intimate friends were the 

 first to congratulate him on the work he had achieved, and the criticisms of the 

 press soon followed with their share of approbation. Dr. Fitton, the distinguished 

 geologist, reviewed it in the Edinburgh Review, and gave o its author the credit 

 he so well deserved, of which the following is a single paragraph. 



" The inquiries of the author have been extended, with marvellous industry 

 and perseverance, to every part of the globe ; but, as might be expected of an 

 engineer residing in America, the coal tracts of that countr)- naturally occupy a 

 large portion of the work. As these are probably less known, to most of our 

 readers, than the coal producing states of Europe, while they are beyond all com- 

 parison the greatest depositories of coal in the world affording to that fortunate 

 region the prospect of almost unbounded wealth we shall confine our attention 

 chiefly to this part of the work. But our readers may be assured that the author's 

 account of other countries gives equal proofs of his diligence in collecting 

 information." 



The hondon, Ediiihurgh and Dublin Phil. Mag, and Jour, of Science, in its 

 notice of this work, says, " comprehensive as the title of this work appears, it 

 does not yet convey a just idea of its scope, or the extent of the subject matter. 

 Did its title stand, ' Coal the civilizer ; its natural history, productions and appli- 

 cations,' it would perhaps convey to the casual reader a more just idea of the 

 object and contents of the work." * * * "A long and intimate practical 

 acquaintance with mines and mining operations in different parts of the world, 

 had necessarily led him to amass a great quantity of material ; the value of which, 

 as a constant object of reference for his own use, led him to feel the utility of a 

 digested and methodized arrangement of those materials, in a permanent shape, 

 for the use of others. But there is found, throughout these pages, a pervading 

 spirit beyond that merely materialistic and dry one, which the title would indicate, 

 and which the professional engagements of the author might have led us to anti- 

 cipate. We perceive, impressed on every section, the idea, 7iot of coal the mere 

 wealth producer, the mere material instrument of the human animal, but of coal as 

 an important agent in promoting civilization. It is in the same spirit, and imbued 

 with the same everywhere pervading high moral sentiment, that the author more 

 than once calls attention to the vastly greater importance of iron than of gold and 

 silver. We cannot conclude without cordially recommending this work to the 

 attention of our readers. While it will be an invaluable book of reference to 

 every future inquirer into the numerous economic questions connected with our 

 most important industrial operations, and manufactures, and into the great social 

 questions arising out of them, it will form an indispensable part of the library of 

 every geologist." 



38 



