iv Hutton in Edinburgh 157 



seen with great delight by those who could enter into his 

 sentiments ; and often with great astonishment by those 

 who could not." 



While so much was congenial to his mental habits in 

 the friendly intercourse of Edinburgh society, there was 

 not less in the scenery around the city that would stimu- 

 late his geological proclivities. He could not take a walk 

 in any direction without meeting with illustrations of 

 some of the problems for the solution of which he was 

 seeking. If he turned eastward, Arthur Seat and Salis- 

 bury Crags rose in front of him, with their memorials of 

 ancient volcanic eruptions. If he strolled westward, the 

 ravines of the Water of Leith presented him with proofs of 

 the erosive power of running water, and with sections of 

 the successive sea -bottoms of the Carboniferous period. 

 Even within the walls of the city, the precipitous Castle 

 Eock bore witness to the energy with which in ancient 

 times molten material had been thrust into the crust of 

 the earth. 



No more admirable environment could possibly have 

 inspired a geologist than that in which Hutton now began 

 to work more sedulously at the study of the former 

 changes of the earth's surface. But he went far afield in 

 search of facts, and to test his interpretation of them. He 

 made many journeys into different parts of Scotland, 

 where the phenomena which engaged his attention seemed 

 most likely to be well displayed. He extended his ex- 

 cursions likewise into England and Wales. For about 

 thirty years, he had never ceased to study the natural 

 history of the globe, constantly seeking to recognize the 

 proofs of ancient terrestrial revolutions, and to learn by 



