TO SCULPTURE. TO HEALTH. 13 



this kind, that he made himself a proficient in mineralogy and 

 geology. Even where these defects have not existed, the 

 beauty and effect of a statue are known to depend, in a 

 material degree, on the more or less crystalline character of 

 the stone. We have only to place a cast, in plaster, beside 

 the antique statue from which it has been modelled, to per- 

 ceive to what an extent the expression of sculpture is en- 

 hanced by the purity of the marble of which it is composed. 



To PAINTING. The painter derives important aid from 

 a science which teaches him the physical structure of a 

 country, and the principles which determine its scenery and 

 aspect. Many works of great merit oifend the eye by depar- 

 tures from the truth of nature, which a knowledge of this 

 science would have served to prevent. How absurd, for 

 example, should we deem the error of the artist, when de- 

 picting an event which occurred in the southern district of 

 our island, if he should sketch the scene with the rugged 

 outline which characterises the primary formations of the 

 north ; or, if in representing an occurrence which happened 

 in our northern districts, should he delineate the angular 

 outline of its Plutonic rocks with the undulating lines which 

 characterise the sedimentary formations of the south ! Some 

 of the most celebrated modern paintings exhibit faults of 

 this description, in which rocks are drawn and views pour- 

 tray ed in localities where, owing to the physical geography 

 of the district, they could never have existed. In fine, 

 geology is to the painter of landscape what anatomy is to 

 the student of animal forms, and as such will repay his 

 investigation. 



RELATION or GEOLOGY TO HEALTH. The connexion 

 between geological structure and the salubrity of a locality 

 must be obvious to the most superficial observer. The clean 

 soil, clear air, and pure water of the chalk districts, form a 

 striking contrast to the foggy atmosphere and impure waters 

 of the London clay formation ; and the dry nature of a 

 sandy region, as compared with the moisture and malaria of 

 a marshy district, are circumstances known and appreciated 

 by medical men. 



To LITERATURE. The connexion of geology with litera- 

 ture is evident from the distinguished merit of the works of 

 its most eminent professors. The publications of Buckland, 



