1846 DE LA BECHE AND MURCHISON 93 



you may know how to treat things if any discussion arises at the 

 next meeting of the G. S. The lower rocks should be mapped as 

 we have proposed. 



Sedgwick at last meeting spoke highly of our sections. 



We have to keep a straight honest course, thinking only of truth, 

 and aiding the advance of knowledge. 



I am off in an hour or so for Swansea. Ever yours, 



H. T. DE LA BECHE. 



NURSTED HOUSE, PETERSFIELD, 

 2<}th December 1846. 



MY DEAR DE LA BECHE Your note of the 24th followed me. 



I cannot for a moment suppose after all you have said and 

 done, and after your fair and public recognition of my ' Lower 

 Silurian ' types, that you can in any way intend to swamp them. 

 The case is indeed so palpable that I believe every geologist is 

 desirous of sustaining the names of the person who first worked out 

 the succession from a known base line. All I expected, and do 

 expect from you is that if'\\. be proven that Cambrian and Lower 

 Silurian are geologically synonymous, you will adhere to my name 

 the only one worked out on a fossil basis. Now all I beg your 

 permission to do in my little ' apology ' for the Silurian System (the 

 Bible has even been apologised for !) is that I may say ' by what- 

 ever name the rocks be denned, it must be one name ; for that the 

 inquiries of the Government geologists (which are yet, however, 

 not completed) go to prove that there is but one natural series or 

 system of organic life in North Wales.' 



Is there any objection to this, which leaves you by your subsequent 

 inquiries to make any statement you please? At all events, the 

 question between Sedgwick and myself is decided by his own 

 evidence of the existence of some of the commonest Caradoc fossils 

 in some of his very lowest beds. Ever yours most sincerely, 



ROD. I. MURCHISON. 



GEOLOGICAL SURVEY OFFICE, 

 December 1846. 



And now, my dear Murchison, a word for you before I start for 

 South Wales, and that in about two hours. To tell you the truth, I 

 was a bit inclined to look queer at the preamble of your last missive, 

 seeing that you spoke a possible thought on my part of swamping 

 your ' Lower Silurian types,' and this at the very time I had been 

 doing my best to show how much I appreciated your labours, and 

 so I did not say so much about the matter as I might. The said 

 queerishness having duly evaporated, it is but fair that as you are 

 going to write, and you have broached the matter to me, I should 



