34 Mr. Webster's Reply to Dr. Fitton. [Jan. 



Since, I believe, the work is but little known, which Dr. Fitton 

 has described as a " standard publication which has been 

 referred to by all geologists in treating on the Isle of Wight," 

 and which has now become the subject of his criticism, it may- 

 be desirable that your readers should know something of its 

 history. 



En'"-Iish geology was, in 1811, only beginning to arrive at 

 that advanced state for which it has been so much considered in 

 every part of the civilized world. Many persons of distinguished 

 abilities had occasionally bestowed their attention on a subject, 

 than which none is more capable of exciting curiosity and enthu- 

 siasm ; and although little parade was exhibited by men equally 

 remarkable for their modesty as for their talents, yet the names 

 of Woodward, Michel!, Grew, Davy, Smith, Parkinson, and 

 many others whose names it v/ould be invidious to mention, will 

 ever live in the history of the science. But that beautiful order 

 which genius had begun to develope, and to separate from the 

 almost chaotic state in which it had been hitherto concealed, 

 was yet but imperfectly traced. No fixed principles of classifi- 

 cation were established : no types of particular beds or forma- 

 tions were pointed out, to which all ought to refer ; but every 

 man who had, or fancied he had, a mind capable of arranging 

 facts into a system, thought himself at liberty to make the 

 attempt in his own way. 



About this period it was, that ray attention was accidentally 

 led to the subject of geology. Having been originally educated 

 as an architect, and much accustomed to the practice of draw- 

 ing, I was fixed upon by the late Sir Henry Englefield to 

 examine into a few points which had escaped his notice in the 

 Isle of Wight, with the view of conijDleting a work which he had 

 composed on that island several years before, and which he was 

 then preparing for the press. 



It was not in the contemplation of Sir Henry Englefield that 

 I should make a complete re-examination of the Isle of Wight ; 

 but, in order to accomplish the object which he had in view, I 

 felt the necessity of looking more particularly into its stratifica- 

 tion, and of applying to it some of the geological doctrines 

 which were afloat at that time, but which had appeared since he 

 had been a practical geologist ; and I was in consequence led 

 to view the subject very difterently from him, and to develope 

 the general structure of the island. 



Sir Henry Englefield, vv'ith that liberality of mind which 

 rendered him esteemed by all who knew him, expressed 

 his satisfaction that I had exceeded the commission given 

 to me, assisted me in making another journey to the coast 

 of Dorsetshii'e for the purpose of extending my inquiries, and, 

 on my return, far from wishing to appropriate to himself the 

 information I had thus procured, resolved (as he has himself 



