36 THE ORDNANCE GEOLOGICAL SURVEY CHAP, n 



successful works were an excellent Geological Manual ; 

 a practical treatise, The Geological Observer, full of the 

 experience of many years of field-observation ; and a 

 striking little volume, Researches in Theoretical Geology , 

 which for sagacious insight and breadth of view was far 

 in advance of its time. 



To his scientific qualities were added those of the 

 artist and the keen lover of nature, combined with a 

 strength of frame which, in his prime, made him a bold 

 swimmer and an active pedestrian. Over and above 

 all shone his bright cheery nature, his irrepressible 

 merriment, his helpful sympathy, and that inexhaust 

 ible enthusiasm which not only supported his own 

 untiring efforts, but, like a contagion, affected and 

 stimulated all who were associated with him. In his 

 later days he was sometimes thought by his officers to 

 be too scheming and to subordinate their interests to 

 the advancement of the Survey and of the large 

 Museum and School of Mines which grew out of it. 

 But we must remember that he had to create the 

 whole establishment, to gain the goodwill of suc 

 cessive governments and ministers, not always pre 

 disposed to spend money in the cause of science, 

 and to keep the organisation effective with as little 

 outlay as possible. 



After various more or less desultory geological 

 studies at home and abroad, De la Beche at last 

 settled down seriously to the detailed investigation of 

 the geological structure of the south-west of England. 

 He began to map that region on the Ordnance maps 

 which had then been published on the scale of one 

 inch to a mile. He soon saw of how much practical 

 utility carefully-prepared geological maps would be in 

 aiding the development of the mineral resources of 





