GEOLOGT. 43 



erals within their reach. A geological excursion is 

 uniformly preferred by them to their ordinary sports, 

 too often calculated to dissipate their minds, and unfit 

 them for patient and successful application, when they 

 return to their school rooms or their books. 



6. It teaches children to be observing. A thousand 

 objects before unnoticed, press upon their view; their 

 imagination and taste are awakened, and called into 

 vigorous and healthful exercise, in discriminating the 

 aspect of objects. Their minds once put upon the 

 search to discover what is beautiful and rich in the 

 mineral kingdom, are led to examine other parts of this 

 wide creation; and wherever they go, or whatever they 

 see, they find something to admire, and to convey to 

 their minds entertainment and instruction. 



7. It leads to useful discoveries. Wherever the 

 science of geology has been introduced into schools, or 

 to the attention of other young people, valuable discov- 

 eries have been made to enrich the treasures of science, 

 or to furnish new sources of industry and of wealth, 

 both to individuals and the nation. If once introduced 

 into all our schools, the whole country would be put 

 under the most minute and rigid examination, and com- 

 pelled to yield up its treasures, now buried beneath the 

 surface of the earth. In New England, alone, from 

 one to t\vo hundred thousand young, but ardent and 

 efficient surveyors might be induced to afford their 

 gratuitous and cheerful services, to explore our re- 

 sources in the mineral kingdom; and while they amused 

 and instructed themselves, they would make important 

 accessions to the public treasures of science and of 

 wealth. 



8. As the adoption of geology as a branch of common 

 eduWlion, uniformly leads to a thorough examination of 

 the natural features of the country, it would prepare 

 the way for obtaining maps of all the towns where it 

 should be introduced. Considering the trifling expense 

 at which lithographic prints of town maps can be pro- 

 cured, and the important vehicles they would be to 

 convey a minute and accurate knowledge of the charac- 

 ter and resources of our country to the minds of its 



