1856 SURVEY ANNIVERSARY DINNER 241 



remains and extinct mammalia I believe they have discovered near 

 Berne, but never at very high levels. 



But I must conclude with thanking you for what would have 

 been a treat had the Manual of Phillips instead of my own been the 

 subject of your Essay. It has scarcely ever, in the course of twenty 

 years, been my lot to be reviewed by writers who had any practical 

 experience as original observers in the field, and I therefore value 

 your criticism the more. Ever truly yours, CHA. LYELL. 



At the Anniversary Survey dinner in the spring 

 of 1856, the first presided over by Murchison, who 

 entered heartily into the merriment of the evening, 

 Ramsay produced three new songs and a glee on 

 geological topics. One of the subjects selected by 

 him was his Permian boulder-clay, to which reference 

 has already been made. The style of the composition 

 may be inferred from one or two verses. 



Few, few believe what I have told, 



Men say that I am overbold. 



What then ? they sneered that Welshmen's tails 



Had polished Buckland's rocks in Wales. 



And when I'm dead, and these poor bones 

 Lie underneath the turf and stones, 

 The home of worms and churchyard mice, 

 Men then will swallow Permian ice. 



Then, then I trust the old Survey, 



Young hands and these, my friends, grown grey, 



Will rear above my mouldering bones 



Four monstrous Permian boulder-stones. 



And, on a slab by ice worn smooth, 

 Record that in their early youth 

 The poor old boy beneath that lies 

 Loved well to walk and talk on ice. 



The best of the Survey songs ever written by 

 Ramsay was one which he produced next year (1857), 

 and which may be conveniently inserted here. It 

 refers to the geological expedition made some years 



R 



