162 GROVE KARL GILBERT— DAVIS [Memo %vouxxi; 



third, who was studying certain British laccoliths at the time, appears to have been somewhat 

 disappointed; for when he ventured to put a question on his problem, the distinguished 

 originator of the laccolith idea "was not a bit interested, and professed to have been so much 

 occupied with other things since his Henry Mountains work that he had forgotten all about 

 it." Apropos of this disappointing story, it may be noted that some 20 years later Gilbert 

 remarked to a friend that the British geologists had praised him much for very little work on his 

 part in this matter: "The laccolites were there for the seeing." But it may be doubted if he 

 would have made that comment had anyone expressed admiration for his discussion of the 

 physical conditions of laccolithic intrusion; that surely had to be worked out. Another sequel 

 to the same story came 10 years later still, as will be told in due time. 



The field excursions at Bath in connection with the geological section of the association 

 pleased Gilbert greatly; he later wrote to a geologist who was concerned with planning 

 excursions for a meeting of the American association: 



Our Association excursions are usually chaotic affairs, without adequate provision and without guidance. 

 The British Association excursions are far superior. The}' are elaborately planned in advance, and each as a 

 rule is provided with two functionaries, a leader and a whipper-in. It is the duty of the leader to direct the 

 movements and to explain matters of interest or to see that others do so. It is the duty of the whipper-in to 

 bring up the rear and look after the stragglers. Thus managed, excursions have definite purposes and 

 accomplish them. 



However hearty was the welcome given to the "representative of the British race in 

 America," he appears to have retained an American point of view while in Britain, for certain 

 formalities there in vogue seemed to him overconventional. He wrote his impressions on this 

 matter to a friend : 



The giving of thanks is a flagrant example . . . The chairman makes a speech and introduces the lecturer; 

 the lecturer gives his lecture; the chairman makes a little speech and introduces Mr. A.; Mr. A. makes a speech 

 and moves a vote of thanks; the chairman introduces Mr. B.; Mr. B. makes a speech and seconds the motion; 

 the chairman puts the motion; the lecturer makes a speech to thank the audience for thanking him and Mr. A. 

 and Mr. B. for moving the vote; the chairman dismisses the audience in another speech, if he can think of 

 anything else to say. 



He was much amused by the formalities of a banquet given by the city of Bath, and 

 presided over by the right worshipful mayor, behind whom stood a professional toastmaster 

 and a red-coated trumpeter: 



We found our chairs and stood behind them. The trumpeter tooted. The toastmaster, intoning his 

 words, shouted, "Silence, gentlemen, grace will be said." Canon Somebody said a ten word grace. . . . When- 

 ever the toastmaster had anything to say he was preceded by the trumpeter. 



There can, however, be no question that these devices are effective; for the resounding 

 flare of the trumpeter causes immediate silence even in a gathering of hundreds of lively talkers 

 around the festive board; and the toastmaster, on stentoriously repeating the toasts proposed 

 by the chairman, whose voice may be feeble, insures the audibility of every word ; nevertheless 

 the devices cause surprise in most Americans when they are first seen and heard. 



An American should, however, feel no surprise if one of his countrymen, who has spent 

 a good part of his life in western deserts and waited till his forty-sixth year before going 

 abroad, confesses to being somewhat overpowered with the attentions showered upon him 

 by the municipality where he finds the British association holding a meeting; for Gilbert's 

 experience at Bath was not a repetition of anything he had enjoyed or suffered from in any 

 city where he had attended the meetings of the American association. But a British reader 

 of this page may perhaps wonder why such an American should hesitate to tell of it, if any 

 American municipality had ever shown him similar attentions, as is intimated in the second 

 line of the following extract: 



It seems a little strange to be a foreigner. "Prophets are not without honor, save &c." No American 

 city ever boarded, lodged, wined and carriaged me for a week — or if it did I am not going to tell of it. Never 

 before have I assisted a baroness over a stile, and afterwards found a nobleman's card awaiting me at my lodg- 

 ings. It is quite overpowering. 



