232 Prof. Siliman’s Address before the 
and a revised and extended account in 1817, which was published 
in their Transactions for 1818, with a colored geological map. 
Mr. Maclure had personally examined almost every remarkable 
geological field in Europe, and was therefore well qualified, ac- 
cording to the standard of knowledge of that day, for the Her- 
culean labor which he undertook. His geology of the United 
States was also published separately at his own expense, ina 
small unpretending volume, of which the motto might well have 
been, multum in parvo. It was however imperfect, especially 
in the more recent formations, the dividing lines having then 
been but very imperfectly drawn, between the alluvial and the 
tertiary, between the tertiary and the newer secondary, and even 
between the different members of the latter ; and, moreover, the 
study of fossils and of fossil anatomy, having since that period 
made great advances, it is not surprising that younger geologists, 
in surveying in detail parts of Mr. Maclure’s domain, should have 
found some things to correct and much to supply. 
Still, William Maclure, (who was the William Smith of this 
country, ) performed an immense service for geology, and this, 
with his munificent endowment of the Academy of Natural Sci- 
ences of Philadelphia—in its library, its cabinet, and its noble 
hall—and his liberal donations in many other ways, for the pro- 
motion of useful knowledge, for the education and elevation of 
the ignorant and the oppressed in various places and countries, 
richly entitle him to the gratitude of mankind, and to the warm 
eulogium pronounced upon him by Dr. Morton, the president of 
this Association. 
William Maclure passed the latter years of his life in the city 
of Mexico, to which he was attracted by its fine climate, and there 
he died about two years ago, at the age of very nearly fourscore- 
Mr. Maclure brought large collections of specimens of minerals 
into the United States, but the earlier cabinets formed in this 
country, or imported from abroad, had more reference to mineral- 
ogy than to geology. They however excited attention, promoted 
inquity and observation, and gradually attracted geological col-, 
lections around them. 
Were the cabinets of Harvard University, presented by 
Dr. Lettsom and the French republic, and since splendidly en- 
by P olessor Webster ; the collection at Bowdoin College; 
_ Maine, by Prof. Cleaveland ; ‘that of Dr. Samuel L. Mitchill, and 
