RANSOME: NATIONAL GEOLOGICAL SURVEY 97 



of the geological faculties of the universities the consequences 

 to the progress of geology must be deplorable. Any approach 

 to such a condition demands immediate action with less emphasis 

 on the question, "Who is to blame?" for in all probability there 

 may be some fault on both sides, than on "What can be done 

 to restore relations of mutual regard and helpfulness?" 



THE AMATEUR IN GEOLOGY 



In the present age of specialization we are apt to forget how 

 much geology owes to amateurs, particularly in Britain and 

 France. Sir Archibald Geikie in the concluding chapter of his 

 "Founders of Geology" dwells particularly on this debt. He 

 says: 



"In the account which has been presented in this volume of 

 the work of some of the more notable men who have created the 

 science of geology, one or two leading facts stand out prominently 

 before us. In the first place, even in the list of selected names 

 which we have considered, it is remarkable how varied have been 

 the ordinary avocations^ of these pioneers. The majority have 

 been men engaged in other pursuits, who have devoted their 

 leisure to the cultivation of geological studies. Steno, Guettard, 

 Pallas, Fiichsel, and many more were physicians, either led by 

 their medical training to interest themselves in natural history, 

 or not seldom, even from boyhood, so fond of natural history as to 

 choose medicine as their profession because of its affinities with 

 that branch of science. Giraud-Soulavie and Michell were clergy- 

 men. Murchison was a retired soldier. Alexandre Brogniart 

 was at first engaged in superintending the porcelain manufactory 

 of Sevres. Demarest was a hard- worked civil servant who 

 snatched his intervals for geology from the toils of incessant 

 official occupation. William Smith found time for his researches 

 in the midst of all the cares and anxieties of his profession as an 

 engineer and surveyor. Hutton, Hall, DeSaussure, Von Buch, 

 Lyell, and Darwin were men of means, who scorned a life of sloth- 

 ful ease, and dedicated themselves and their fortunes to the study 

 of the history of the earth. Playfair and Cuvier were both 

 teachers of other branches of science, irresistibly drawn into the 



2 Vocations would seem to be the right word here. F. L. R. 



