592 ANNUAL REPORT SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION, 1925 



past ages that were entombed in the crust of the earth, and from 

 that moment tlie rocks and their fossils became increasingly the 

 subject of his thoughts. He made the acquaintance of Robert Cham- 

 bers, afterwards known to be the author of the "Vestiges of Crea- 

 tion," and of other geologists, and read every book on geology that 

 he could lay hands on, deriving, however, a greater stimulus from 

 the enthusiasm and literary charm of Hugh Miller's " Old Red Sand- 

 stone" than from some more informing works. But, more than by 

 any book, he was inspired by his own study of the rocks near Edin- 

 burgh, with their abundance of fossils and of evidence of ancient 

 volcanic outbursts. 



Though the boy's bent was clearly indicated, his father found 

 it difficult to believe that a study of geology could provide a 

 livelihood. He arranged, therefore, that young Geikie should 

 become a banker, after a preliminary training for two years in a 

 lawyer's office. The interruption was brief, for the boy's heart 

 was among the liiMs of Midlothian and far from the office. He 

 was out in the field again long before the two years had elapsed. 

 Determined, however, to pursue literary studies in addition to 

 science, he matriculated at Edinburgh University in 1854 as a 

 student of Humanity (that is, Latin), and although domestic cir- 

 cumstances prevented him from completing the course, he gained 

 the reputation of being one of the best classical scholars of his 

 year and the best writer of English prose among his class fellows. 

 The literary ability thus shown proved to be one of the principal 

 factors in his success in after life. 



In the meantime Geikie had been prosecuting geological work 

 in Skye with such success that he impressed the geologists of the 

 day as a young man of unusual promise. When, therefore, recruits 

 were inquired for by Sir Roderick Murchison, then Director General 

 of the Geological Survey, he was warmly recommended by Hugh 

 Miller. A walk over Arthur's Seat with Ramsay, at that time Local 

 Director, took the place of the examination of later days, and the 

 appointment was made in 1855. After a year's training in the 

 field with Ramsay, the young geologist was regarded as competent, 

 and was set to work in the surroundings of Edinburgh. He found 

 time, nevertheless, to complete his work in Skye, and to write an 

 account of it, which was communicated to this society in 1857. 



This period he found to be the most studious of his life; but, how- 

 ever great might be the calls upon his endurance, he never failed to 

 make time for companionship with the classical authors and with 

 the best English writers from Chaucer to pur own day. The spirit 

 with which he was imbued in his field work is host expressed in 

 his own words: ''The work on which 1 was now engaged, and to 



