216 A POPULAR SKETCH OF THE 



forms of the gritstone. But the chief heauties of the limestone 

 district are its dales. The brooks and rivers run in narrow winding 

 valleys, with precipitous walls of white limestone hung with the 

 richest festoons of creepers, and from every ledge juts a dark yew 

 or a bending ash, with thick woods of other trees on the green slope 

 at the foot of the cliffs. The flashing waters of the brook as it 

 foams over the ledges of rock that cross its path below, and the hoar 

 cliffs that rear their heads into the sky above, form scenes to en- 

 chant the eye of the painter or the poet as well as to delight and 

 instruct the mind of the geologist.* 



Who, that thinks at all, can forbear inquiring into the reasons of 

 the differences here pointed out ? Why is it that, on one side of an 

 almost straight and certainly a well-defined line, the country should 

 be a perfect plane, and on the other a mass of hills ? And what are 

 the causes which have given to particular portions of this hilly tract, 

 such definite and well-marked varieties of character? He who asks 

 himself these questions has commenced the study of Geology ; to 

 answer them will be part of the business of this paper. 



I shall begin them by briefly describing each of the different 

 rocks or masses of materials of which the country is composed, 

 their most remarkable characteristics, and the kind of organic re- 

 mains they contain ; and then consider the different positions they 

 now occupy, and the effects of the moving forces that have placed 

 them in those positions. The following are the different rocks or 

 formations composing the district of Derbyshire, placed in the order 

 in winch they occur: — 



Aqueous Rocks. 

 1. Superficial accumulations, or diluvium 

 New red sandstone system — 2. Red marls and gypsum 

 3. Red and white sandstone 



" It has been said, indeed, that the study of Geology tends to blunt a 

 man's mind as to his perception and appreciation of the beauties of Nature ; 

 that in studying the nature and origin of the rocks, the geologist is apt to 

 lose sight of the picturesque beauty of the country they compose. This, 

 however, appears as reasonable as to assert that we no longer feel the melody 

 or harmony of a poem or a song when we understand the language in which 

 it is composed. To the geologist, a beautiful country is not an unmeaning 

 pageant, the recollection of which is but a fleeting dream ; but a well defined 

 and individual object which speaks to his intellect as well as to his eye. 

 Like an artist before a masterly picture, he observes harmonies and beauties 

 unseen by others, and to him every minute variation of outline or shade of 

 colour has its definite meaning and appropriate place, all the parts combin- 

 ing to form a perfect whole that has a permanent station in his memory. 



