234 Address before the Association of American Geologists. 
curiosity we eyed the bleak, naked ridges which impended over 
the valleys that were the scenes of our youthful excursions. In 
vain did we doubt that the glittering spangles of mica, and the 
still more alluring brilliancy of pyrites, gave assurance of the ex- 
istence of the precious metals in these substances ; or that the 
cutting of glass by the garnet, and by quartz, proved that these 
minerals were the diamond ; but if they were not precious me- 
tals, and if they were not diamonds, we in vain enquired of our 
companions, and even of our teachers, what they were.”—Am. 
Journal of Science, Vol. I, p. 36. is 
T cannot, on this occasion, go into minute details of the labors, 
or even of the names of those, by whom this state of things ina 
few years was entirely changed. In 1810, appeared the Miner- 
alogical Journal of Dr. Bruce: in 1816, the work of Prof. Cleave- 
land on Mineralogy and Geology : in 1818, the American Journal 
of Science was commenced by Prof. Silliman : a work which has 
always been an efficient instrament in promoting a knowledge 
of geology as well as other sciences; and which, by great efforts, 
has now reached its forty first volume! In this connection, the 
Monthly American Journal of Geology and Natural Science, by 
Mr. Featherstonhaugh, which reached only its first volume, should 
not be forgotten. ‘The transactions of several of our scientific so- 
cieties, especially of the Academy of Natural Sciences in this city, 
of the Lyceum of Natural History in New York, and of the Amer- 
ican Academy of Arts and Sciences at Boston, have contained 
many most valuable papers illustrative of the geological features of 
this continent. An American Geological Society was formed in 
1818: but it has accomplished little, except that it has a valua 
ble collection of specimens and books, chiefly through the liber- 
ality of its president, William Maclure. ‘The Pennsylvania Ge- 
ological Society was organized in 1832, and published two vol 
umes of its transactions. Several other societies in the country; 
of a more local character, have contributed essentially to the pro 
geology ; he recent organization of the National 
lustitution for the promotion of science at Washington, and its 
se much for this branch of knows 
fe 
