The Geological Society and Mr.Wnt; Smith. S37 



Iflted, tn pvt the Pullic iisefully in possession of them, and to 

 secure the future credit of them for my valued, but rather un- 

 tractable friend. 



After some time, the Rev. Joseph Townsend published a 4to 

 work, which, althougli under the very ill-chosen title of "■ The 

 Character of Moses," &c. is almost entirely occupied with local 

 details, respecting the slratification of tlie PVest of England, ami 

 therein he very handsomely, in the preuxce and other parts, ac- 

 knowledges the having first learnt to trace the Strata, and very 

 mmiy of hit particulars concerning them, from Mr. Smith, in 

 the year 1801, and subsccjuently. 



On the proposal for founding the Geological Society of Lon- 

 don, in 1808, Mr, Smith and myself were often complimented, 

 in the Letters and remarks of our Friends, on the great eclat 

 which this new Institution would give to Mineral Surveying, as 

 a chief basis on which British Geology should be built ; our 

 replies at the time were, that this result would altogether de- 

 pend, on the Per Sims to whom the management of the Society's 

 conceryis might fall, and be retained ; and the result has unfor- 

 tunately coi responded, — instead of the least patronage or counte- 

 nance being given to Mr. Smith, every means, direct and indi- 

 rect, were soon resorted to, by a leading Individual therein, in 

 particular, to obtain his materials and delineate them on a new 

 Map, pretended, at first, to be for the private use of the So- 

 ciety; but after it had twice or thrice been copied, to cor- 

 rect its first egregious errors, as new materials were quickly col- 

 lected, with inconceivably Ie=s pains or cost than Mr. Smith's 

 materials were originally obtained, and I was repeatedly applied 

 to for contributions to this new Map, I began to suspect, that 

 all was not right, and determined on putting the question 

 plainly, whether the design was not really entertained, of pnb- 

 iiihliig this rival MapP, and this not being longer denied, — then, 

 whether it was intended in such publication, to make the acknow- 

 ledgements so justly due to Mr. Smith, for hi.s long priority in 

 the research, and his materials, obtained as above mentioned ?, 

 when I was unblushingly told, tliat theirs being a Map begun 

 and altogether mff^/^ 071 IVerverian principles !, no such acknow- 

 ledgements as I asked, would be made ! ! 



Much as I may have heard from various quarters, since Mr. 

 John Gary seriously mulertook the publication, of Mr. Smith's 

 Map, (and became a useful sort of security to the Public, that he 

 should not very long delay completing it,) on the progress then 

 actually making in Engraving this pretended Geognostic ALnp 

 (concerning which some curious history will remain yet to be 

 disclosed) first in London and then in Paris, I had so much con- 

 Vol. 45. No. 20.3. JlioT/ ISL"). Y fidcace 



