30 brooks: applied geology 



One of the earliest recorded attempts of a practical application 

 of geology is that of George Owen, a country squire of Wales, 

 who about 1600 prepared a lengthy description of Pembrokeshire 

 in which he discussed the occurrence of limestones and coal. He 

 appears to have been the first to note the change of bituminous 

 coal to anthracite. Owen's practical purpose is made clear by the 

 following quotation from his writing: 



. it may be a guide to some parties to seek the lymestone 

 where it yet lieth hidden and may save labours to others in seeking it 

 where there is no possibility to find it. 



While men of the Agricola type were assembling and classifying 

 observations on minerals and ore bodies, another group of scien- 

 tists was engaged in wordy wars about such problems as to 

 whether fossils had been formed by the influence of stars or were 

 the remnants of former living organisms. It is noteworthy that 

 among the most rational contributions to this discussion, which 

 continued over a century, were those of Leonardo da Vinci and 

 Nicholas Steno, the first of whom based his arguments on his 

 own observations as an engineer, while the second had some prac- 

 tical experience in the study of ore bodies. These two belonged 

 to the class of scientists designated by John Webster in his History 

 of Metals, published in 1671, as " experimental observers," of 

 whom he says: 



For either they were such as attended the mines, or went thither to 

 converse with the workmen to inform themselves, or bore some office 

 about those places, or were those that either for curiosities sake, or to 

 enrich their knowledge, did gather together all the minerals they could, 

 or used the most of all these ways to gain understanding. And therefore 

 I commend these above all the rest before named, to be read and studied 

 of all officers and men belonging to any mineral or metallick works; 

 and of all young students and beginners that seek after mineral knowl- 

 edge: because these authors speak not altogether by opinion, fancie, and 

 conjecture; but forth of their own experience, and the experience of 

 those that were conversant about the mines, and getting of ore, and 

 purifying and refining of them ; and therefore more certain to be relyed 

 upon for leaders and teachers. And more, because they have written 

 what they knew, openly and plainly as the subject would bear; and not 

 in parables, and senigmatical expressions. 



This treatise contains, amid much that now appears childish, 

 some practical hints for the discovery of ore bodies. Webster 



