Dr. Fitton's Notes on the History of English Geology, 49 



and introduction : and these, with some slight defects or rather 

 peculiarities of style, are of such value, that it is much to be 

 lamented that the undertaking was not completed. 



The failure of the bookseller who was to have published the 

 intended work, most unfortunately defeated this project of 

 publication : but it is clear that Mr. Smith was then in posses- 



1 and the Second should enter into the particulars of each stratum, with 

 1 the fossils and minerals that have hitherto heen discovered, with their 



* connection and dependance one upon another. Though it is impossible 



* for the labours of an individual ever to accomplish a thousandth part of 



* what is proposed by this section ; yet when a system is established which 



* has Nature for its prototype, every one will be enabled to contribute his 



* mite, and carry it on from time to time, till after ages may get a tolerable 



* description of the habitable world, 



" Many sections of the strata, in different directions, will be necessary 

 ' to show their various inclinations. In the general section, each principal 



* stratum should be numbered ; with progressive numbers, beginning at 



* the eastern strata of the kingdom ; or, till that can be accurately ascer- 

 1 tained, at some stratum that forms a grand feature therein. As for in- 



* stance, the chalk which I would call No. 1 ; and those lesser strata, 



* which are contained within it, or generally attached to it, or form any 



* subdivisions therein, — I would call 1. a., 1. b., I.e., &c. If any thin stra- 



* turn should be omitted, or a new one discovered, it may be brought into 

 ' those numbers, by making it 1 a a., &c. 



" After the general section of a country or district, should follow a 



* large section of each stratum, with its concomitant small strata : with 

 4 drawings and descriptions of such peculiarities as the principal stratum, or 

 ' those connected with it, are found to contain ; whether the exuviae of 



* marine animals, vegetable impressions, or fossil wood, coal, and metal of 



* every description. 



" The same numbers which refer to the section, may refer to an explana- 

 ' tion of the chemical properties of each substance, so far as discovered. 



* This may be placed at the end of the book, or make a separate volume ; 

 4 where those properties may be more minutely examined than can con- 

 ' sistently be done in the body of the work, — which is intended to form a 

 ' true representation of the order of Nature, with no more digressions from 



* the main subject than are absolutely necessary to make it intelligible. 



* Plates should be bound up at the end of each volume, in a peculiar man- 

 ' ner ; these, as well as the strata, to make them more striking, should be 



* coloured. 



" The Second Section of the work may be divided into chapters, each 

 1 stratum making a chapter or division, to which its name in conspicuous 



* characters should stand as a title. The names of particular substances 



* described in this division should also appear conspicuous and striking 



* as well as the places they are found at, or near to; and a more particular 

 1 section will accompany each part of the work, with the map divided into 



* squares, or published in parts ; which may be united together, and form a 



* complete map and general section on a large scale. — [Query, Map of each 

 1 stratum ?'] 



" The chemical part, which refers to the other by the numbers, may be 



* arranged under the heads Iron, Coal, Limestone, &c. By this means 



* those veins which lie very distant from each other, will admit of an easier 

 ' comparison. This should form a summary of the more useful minerals." 



Third Scries. Vol. 2. No. 7. Jan. 1833. H 



