THE WERNERIAN SOCIETY. 41 



ing the admitted fact, the importance of all attempts 

 to facilitate such studies, to excite ardour, and to 

 stimulate exertion, will be fully appreciated. Uoder 

 the influence of this conviction, we make no apo- 

 logy for submitting to the public the following sketch 

 of the rise, progress, and present state of the JVe^-- 

 nerian Natural Hhtory Society of Edinbtingh, as 

 well as a few general observations on that branch of 

 natural history, to which some of its most distifi- 

 guished members have hitherto devoted their ta- 

 lents. To this society, we, without hesitation, refer 

 not only a large share of the enthusiasm that has 

 been kindled, but some of the most interesting ob- 

 servations on the internal structure of Great Britain 

 that have yet been presented to the world. In ad- 

 dition to this view, it will be well to illustrate its 

 truth, and to trace the insensible though progressive 

 influence that has been exercised on the minds of 

 many, by one enlightened, zealous, and persevering 

 individual. 



On the contment of Europe, the first steps to- 

 wards improvement mmmeralogical knowledge were 

 made ; while, in our own country, though so rich 

 in its mineral treasures, scarcely a work appeared, 

 with the exception of Williams' Mineral Kingdom, 

 and Price's Cornwall, that contained accurate ob- 

 servations. Yet in the midst of this most deplorable 

 ignorance of the xvorks of nature^ her most secret 

 mysteries were resolved with a boldness and teme- 

 rity scarcely to be surpassed by the flights ot Para- 



B 



