44^ Memorial of George Br^ozvn Goode. 



Smith's geological map of England was six years later, and Greenougli's 

 still subsequent in date. 



The publication in London in 1813 of Bakewell's Introduction to Geol- 

 ogy seems to have given a great stimulus to geological researches in this 

 country, as may be judged from the publication of an American edition 

 a year or two later. 



Mitchill, Bruce, and Maclure soon had a goodly band of associates. 

 Naturalists were not confined to limited .specialties in tho.se days, and we 

 find all the chemists, botanists, and zoologists absorbed in the considera- 

 tion of geological problems. Maclure and most of the Americans were 

 di.sciples of Werner. 



Silliman, writing in 18 18, .said: 



A grand outline has recently been drawn by Mr. Maclure with a masterly hand 

 and with a vast extent of personal observation and labor; but, to fill up the detail, 

 both observation and labor still more extensive are demanded; nor can the object be 

 effected till more good geologists are formed and distributed over our extensive 

 territory. 



On the 6th of September, 18 19, the American Geological Society was 

 organized in the philo-sophical room of Yale College, an event of great 

 importance in the history of .science, hastening, as it .seems to have done, 

 the establishment of State surveys and stimulating observation through- 

 out the country. This society, which continued in existence until about 

 1826, may fairly be considered the nucleus of the Association of Ameri- 

 can Geologists and Naturalists, and, con.sequently, of the American Asso- 

 ciation for the Advancement of vScience. Members appended to their 

 names the symbols M. A. G. S. , and it was for a time the most active 

 of American scientific societies. 



The characteristics of the leading spirits were summed up by Eaton at 

 the time of its beginning: 



The president of the American Geological Society, William M'Clure, has already 

 struck out the grand outline of North American geographical geolog}'. The first vice- 

 president. Col. G. Gibbs, has collected more facts and amassed more geological and 

 mineralogical specimens than any other individual of the age. The second vice- 

 president. Professor Silliman, gives the true scientific dress to all the naked mineral- 

 ogical subjects which are furnished to his hand. The third vice-president, Professor 

 Cleaveland, is successfully employed in elucidating and familiarizing those interesting 

 sciences; and thus smoothing the rugged paths of the student. Professor Mitchill 

 has amassed a large store of materials, and annexed them to the labors of Cuvier 

 and Jameson. But the drudgery of climbing cliffs and descending into fissures and 

 caverns, and of traversing in all directions our most rugged mountainous districts, to 

 ascertain the distinctive characters, number, and order of our strata, has devolved 

 on me.' 



Eaton has voxy fairl)^ defined his own position among the early geolo- 

 gists, which was that of an explorer and pioneer. The epithet. Father 

 of American Geology, which has sometimes been applied to him, might 



'Index to the Geology of the Northern States, 2d edition, 1820, p. viii. 



