P E E F A C E. 



THIS Memoir was not undertaken without anxious 

 misgivings : it might not have been attempted but for 

 the encouragement and prompting of Sir John Evans, 

 who urged that I could best tell of the home life, 

 and that the scientific publications, by the subject of 

 the Memoir, had already spoken for themselves. I 

 accordingly decided to do my utmost in what, it is 

 needless to say, has been altogether a labour of love. 

 I have to acknowledge my special indebtedness to 

 Sir Archibald Geikie for his great kindness in writing 

 the Summary of the Geological Work accomplished by 

 Joseph Prestwich, as well as for the use of letters in his 

 possession. A debt of gratitude is also due to Sir 

 John Evans, who not only placed numerous letters at 

 my disposal, but undertook the critical supervision of 

 the MS., and was the helper and adviser throughout. 

 To Professor Rupert Jones my warmest acknowledg- 

 ments have likewise to be made for his ever kind co- 

 operation ; and to Mr Horace B. Woodward, of the 

 Geological Survey, I must record my gratitude for his 



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