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Geological Reports of the State of New York. 227 
ae 
Gathering our materials only from his works, there is very much 
which we should delight to know, in regard to De Candolle, of 
which we are now almost entirely ignorant. We would gladly 
learn what was the discipline and what were the studies of his 
early years; whence he gained his beautiful and simple Latinity, 
whence the clearness and elegance of his style, and his severe 
and exact logic; by what wise arrangement of his hours he ac- 
complished so much, and made such attainments in the knowl- 
edge, not only of living plants, but of herbaria, and books, and 
various sciences. We know him asa philosopher and a botanist, 
and we understand and feel the power of his mind and the force 
of his genius. We would gladly see him in the higher relations 
of friend, and father, and citizen—we would know him asa man. 
We hope that we shall not long remain without a life of him by 
some one capable of understanding his works and appreciating 
his character. 
Arr. I[.— Geological Reports of the State of New York for 1840, 
communicated by the Governor to the Assembly, Feb. 17, 1841. 
[Assembly, No. 150.]* 
By these reports of the geological corps, the survey of the state 
is nearly completed, and after a partial continuance of the work 
for this season, the final report is to be made. The desired work 
on the geology of this great state may be anticipated in the be- 
ginning of the next year. It is generally understood that the 
final report will be made by the corps in the manner already 
done. For the mineralogy, zoology, botany, and paleontology 
of the state, this is the proper course. Tt is to be hoped, how- 
ever, that the geology will not be divided into four great districts, 
but that the maps, and sections, and descriptions, will present be- 
fore the public one general view. This is the more important, 
as the four districts assigned to four principal geologists have no 
natural geological lines of separation, but are connected in the 
most intimate manner. The importance of a chief geologist, or 
of the most complete harmony of views, becomes ob¥ious, ex- 
tending, as do several of the strata or groups, through more than 
* Communicated for this Journal by the author. 
