Natural Historic in London. Tt 



impressed upon it the stamp of original talent for natural science.'* The 

 geology of England acquires a great additional interest, " when we reflect 

 that this island is in a great measure an epitome of the globe ; and that the 

 observer, who raaUes himself familiar with our strata and the fossil remains 

 which they include, has not only prepared himself for similar enquiries in 

 other quarters, but is already, as it were, acquainted by anticipation with 

 what he is to find there. If* therefore, I were called upon to state in what 

 manner those who have leisure, health, and talent for such enquiries, can 

 most effectually advance the bounds of our sciences, and increase the 

 reputation which England has begun to acquire in this department of 

 natural knowledge, I should say, that it would be, — first, by rendering 

 themselves accurately familiar with the geological phenomena of our own 

 country; and then, by taking abroad with them the knowledge thus 

 acquired, and comparing the phenomena with those of distant regions ; 

 since it is only from the multiplication of such comparisons that sound 

 general views can be derived. 



•* But there are still tracts in the British islands, the geology of which is 

 little known ; more than one half of Ireland is in this condition, and no 

 geological map has yet appeared of Scotland, rich and varied as that region 

 is in a geological point of view. 



" To those amongst us who are confined to England, the most useful 

 task, perhaps, would be, when we have mastered the general relations of our 

 series, to take some one portion of the subject ; a group of strata, or even 

 a single stratum, or any one of the numberless questions connected with 

 their zoological and mineralogical relations, and to publish, in the form of 

 monographs, the results of our enquiries. ' For it may be stated with con- 

 fidence, that there is not any one of our strata, however familiarly it may be 

 supposed to be already known, that would not, if thus treated, reward the 

 most elaborate and minute examination. 



" But those that are deprived of the privilege of travelling even in Eng- 

 land, must not suppose that they can be of no service as geologists ; or, if 

 they belong to our body, that they are thus relieved from their obligation 

 to be active in our cause : and there are two descriptions of persons, — the 

 resident clergy, and members of the medical profession in the country, from 

 whom what I am about to say may be more particularly deserving of atten- 

 tion. Such persons, if they have not yet acquired a taste for natural 

 science, can hardly conceive the interest which the face of the country, in 

 their vicinity, would gain, however unpromising it may appear, by their 

 having such enquiries before them ; how much the monotony of life, in a 

 remote or thinly inhabited district, would thus be relieved ; nor how much 

 benefit they might confer on the natural history of their country. Even of 

 those who have made some progress in geological studies, many, I appre- 

 hend, are prevented from investigating attentively the tracts where they 

 reside, or from communicating their knowledge, by a belief that the geology 

 of England itself is sufficiently known already ; and that the district, with 

 the phenomena of which they are themselves familiar, would have no inte- 

 rest or novelty for the world at large ; whereas it may be asserted (and it 

 were easy to produce examples from modern researches, in some of the 

 counties near London), that there is no district that will not furnish suffi- 

 cient interest and novelty to an attentive enquirer, not merely to repay his 

 own exertions, but to instruct the most learned, and enlarge the bounds of 

 Qur science. 



" To landed proprietors, also, it can hardly be known, without some 

 tinge of geological information, how nearly our subject is connected with 

 agriculture ; with an acquaintance with the nature and correctives of the 

 soil ; the supply of water and facility of effectual drainage, and numberless 

 facts essential to the perfection of rural economy ; the discovery and supply 

 of stone, for building and the construction of roads ; the choice of the hne 



