82 



TAYLOR S MODEL OF THE WESTERN 



occupations connected either with the superficial features of our 

 earth's surfacej in various climates, or with investigations of the 

 positions of rock formations, the modes of representing the prin- 

 cipal phenomena, and the different systems resorted to for practi- 

 cal illustrations, have, of course, been long and frequently under 

 deliberation. The result, it need scarcely be added, is an in- 

 creasing conviction of the vast superiority of that method which 

 admits of showing the objects solidly, in relief; and according to 

 their actual proportions, whenever practicable. I mean the pro- 

 cess of modelling areas of country, in preference to any other 

 method of representation ; whether by drafts, diagrams, tables, 

 maps, sections, or other customary means. Under this impres- 

 sion, and with a view to convey these sentiments in a useful 

 direction, I have made some exertion to complete, for this occa- 

 sion, a specimen of the art, illustrative of several hundred square 

 miles of interesting country in the interior of this State ; but have 

 only, dming the intervals of the present meeting of geologists, 

 found time to prepare and commit to paper the following obser- 

 vations. 



With the best assistance which art can confer, by means of 

 horizontal, or vertical, or concentric shading, or by the most elab- 

 orate arrangement of lines upon a plane surface, to produce the 

 effects of light, shadow, height, depth and perspective, such pro- 

 cesses, it is universally conceded, fail to accomplish what is 

 simply effected by modelling. If to these desiderata in geologi- 

 cal illustrations, and to those other lines which are indispensable 

 to topographical or local delineation, we add those which are in- 

 tended to represent the courses and the inclination of strata, and . 

 the breadths and separate characters of formations, the difficulties 

 attendant on lucid illustration are heightened, in any process 

 short of modelling. 



Whenever the scale, upon which a given area is protracted, is 

 sufficiently large to permit an approximate con-espondence be- 

 tween the horizontal and the vertical admeasurements, the effect 

 is perfect. The utility of the work is enhanced, inasmuch as 

 it combines the exhibition of both transverse and horizontal sec- 

 tions on the field of survey ; and illustrates not only the external 

 features and physical geography pf the district, but enables the 



