1 6 The Founders of Geology LECT. 



theme of sympathetic comment from Ch. Sainte-Claire 

 Deville 1 and Aime de Soland. 2 



In the geological literature of the English-speaking 

 countries, however, we shall search in vain for any adequate 

 recognition of the place of this early master of the science. 

 That famous classic, Conybeare and Phillip's Outlines of 

 the Geology of England and Wales, contains a reference to 

 the French observer as the first man who constructed 

 geological maps. Scrope 3 and Daubeny 4 cite him for his 

 observations in Auvergne. But Lyell in his well-known 

 summary of the progress of geology does not even men- 

 tion his name. 



It is difficult to account for this neglect. Possibly it 

 may be partly attributable to the cumbrous and diffuse 

 style in which Guettard wrote, 5 and to the enormous bulk 

 of his writings. When a man contributes scores of 

 voluminous papers to the transactions of a learned academy; 

 when he publishes, besides, an armful of bulky and closely 

 printed quartos, and when these literary labours are put 

 before the world in by no means an attractive form, per- 

 haps a large share of the blame may be laid to his own 



densation of the narrative in the author's previous Cours. Even after 

 these appreciative references Lecoq in his Opaques Geologiques de 

 r Auvergne omits Guettard's name from the list of those he specially cites, 

 and when he has occasion to mention him, does so in a very grudging 

 spirit. See his Introduction, p. xiii. and vol. iii. p. 155. 



1 Coup d'ceil historique sur la Geologic, pp. 311-314 (1878). 



2 "Etude sur Guettard," Annales de la Soctite Linneenne de Main-et- 

 Loire, 13 me , 14 me , et 15 me annees, pp. 32-88 (1871, 1872, 1873). This 

 appreciative essay contains a list of Guettard's publications. 



3 Geology and Extinct Volcanoes of Central France, p. 30, 2nd edition, 

 1858. 



4 Description of Active and Extinct Volcanoes, p. 729, 2nd edition (1848). 



5 Of this defect no one was more sensible than the author himself. See 

 his Mtmoires sur di/erentes parties des Sciences et Arts, tome v. p. 421. 



