128 PROFESSORSHIP OF GEOLOGY CHAP, iv 



matters. People must make allowance. With all his 

 little failings, I wish I knew more men I love as 

 much/ 



There can hardly be any doubt that the very 

 ' officialism/ which seemed to some of De la Beche's 

 critics a defect, powerfully contributed to his success 

 in gaining from the Government of the country sup- 

 port to his scheme for the national endowment of 

 applied geology. He knew how to measure and 

 influence the official mind. He began by trifling 

 requests, and gradually educated the various depart- 

 ments to adopt his views and give their assistance 

 to carry them out, until it became as much a ^point 

 of honour and credit with his official superiors as it 

 was a heartfelt desire of his own that his successive 

 demands should be favourably considered at the 

 Treasury. Moreover, he cultivated personal relations 

 with the ministers of the day. He was on special 7 

 friendly terms with Sir Robert Peel, whom he led to 

 take interest in the erection of the new Museum an* '. 

 in the progress of the Survey. He even sounded him 

 as to his acceptance of the Presidency of the Royal 

 Society. On the 9th February of this year De la 

 Beche told Ramsay that he had been on this errand, 

 and that ' Sir Robert refused on the ground that it 

 ought to be a scientific man. He (Sir R.) highly 

 approved of the plan of holding the soirees at the 

 Society's rooms ; " and then," said he, "if a poor 

 man, as it might, and often ought to be, held the 

 Presidency, we could go and pay our respects to 

 him." ' 



But the Director-General and his staff at Craig's 

 Court had other duties to discharge this winter than 

 had ever before fallen to their share. The proposal 



