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of presuming to lay before you any statement of my own individual 

 opinions regarding his personal character and the position his 

 works occupy in the ranks of geological literature, I propose to 

 make a departure from the rule usually observed in biographical 

 essays, and to treat the subject in two sections, giving now, in the 

 first, a brief outline of the principal external events of his career, 

 gathered from sources whose authenticity is not likely to be called 

 in question. In the second part, wherein I feel sure that at least 

 an equal degree of interest is likely to be felt, I propose hereafter 

 to trace the history of each of his several contributions to geological 

 literature, pointing out its position in relation to the labours of his 

 fellow-workers, so that the history of opinion upon each subject 

 treated of may be placed in as clear a light as possible. Where 

 the papers relate to districts beyond the Basin of the Solway, and 

 have no bearing, direct or indirect, upon our local geology, a brief 

 allusion will be all that need be given. In the remaining cases I 

 propose to give an epitome of all the facts and observations he has 

 placed on record relating to the Geology of the Basin of the Solway, 

 taking the papers in the order of the rocks they refer to instead of 

 chronologically, and giving especial prominence to such as he 

 might himself have reproduced in the form of a Geology of Cum- 

 berland and Westmorland. 



Part I. 



Professor Harkness was born at Ormskirk, Lancashire, on the 28th 

 July, 1 81 6. After acquiring some elementary education at home, also 

 at a school in the neighbourhood, he was placed with Dr. Duncan, 

 minister of Greyfriars, Dumfries, and was educated along with 

 Dr. Duncan's sons. After some years study he entered the Uni- 

 versity of Eduiburgh, and attended the lectures of Professor 

 Jamieson, the well-known exponent of the Wernerian School of 

 Geology, as well as those of the equally well-known geologist 

 Professor J. D. Forbes. 



After leaving Edinburgh, Mr. Harkness returned to Ormskirk, 

 with the intention of entering into a well-known firm. Peak Brothers 

 and Co., India Merchants, London. Circumstances prevented 



