114 Writers on Fossil Shells. 
in the long progress of preparing his work, with the degree of 
confidence, which the almost entire concurrence of the numerous 
authorities he had consulted, was naturally enough calculated to 
inspire ; amongst the most prominent of these changes of opinion, 
so honourable to Mr. P’s liberality, is that which relates to the 
previously alledged formation of the Strata of Coal and those which 
intervene, (and of course, of all those which overlie the Coal Series) 
during the Noachian Deluge. See vol. III. pp. 443 and 441. 
The early Numbers of Mr. Janses Sowerly’s * Mineral Con- 
chology” appeared in 1812, and through them, until near the 
conclusion of his first volume in 1815, when Mr. Smith’s “ Map 
of the Strata of England and Wales”’ had just appeared, addi- 
tional evidence is furnished to the same point, in the conflicting 
opinions and doubts which Mr. Sowerby has therein expressed, 
as to nearly every inference which follows from the discoveries and 
labours of Mr. Smith; yet, notwithstanding the almost entire 
agreement of authors, in his own previously expressed opinions, 
Mr. S. then liberally took Mr. Smith by the hand, and offered 
him that assistance, in the bringing out of one of his proposed 
works on Fossil Shells and other Organic Remains, which has 
enabled three Numbers of ‘ Strata Identified”’ to appear, in a 
state highly conducive to the progress of stratigraphical know- 
ledge, and a fourth Number to be now nearly ready for delivery. 
In the mean time Mr. Smith persevered, and by the aid of an 
ingenious young man_ his nephew and assistant, Mr. John Phil- 
lips, (who had made himself enough acquainted with the language 
and works of some of the best systematic writers on natural his- 
tory,) was enabled to bring out, in 1817, the first part of his 
“¢ Stratigraphical System of Organized Fossils :” and since, to 
complete the manuscript (as I have been informed) of the second 
and concluding part, of this truly important and nationally credi- 
table work : if fortunately, his publisher’s account of the sale of 
No. 1, had hitherto justified the putting of No. 2 to press ! 
It is, Sir, from the sincere desire which I feel to remove this 
impediment to the more rapid diffusion of the stratigraphical 
knowledge of Fossil Shells, which, as far as relates to the lower 
and most useful part of the British Series, has too long been with- 
held from great numbers, who, like myself, are anxious to make 
a more perfect use of this kuowledge, in the mineral investigation 
of our Island for the advancement of Science, and in the practical 
application of this knowledge to the purposes of mining for the 
benefit of its inhabitants, that I have to request the favour of your 
insertion of the foregoing remarks in your Magazine: which re- 
marks might have been spared, if—happily, every writer amongst 
us would imitate the praise-worthy liberality of the three indivi- 
duals to whom I have particularly adverted, or would follow the 
practice 
