158 The Founders of Geology LECT. 



what causes they had been produced. He had been led to 

 form a definite theory or system which, by uniting and 

 connecting the scattered facts, furnished an intelligible 

 explanation of them. But he refrained from publishing it 

 to the world. He had communicated his views to one or 

 two of his friends, perhaps only to Dr. Black and Mr. 

 Clerk, whose judgment and approval were warmly given 

 to him. The world, however, might have had still a long 

 time to wait for the appearance of his dissertation, had it 

 not been for the interest that he took in the foundation of 

 the Eoyal Society of Edinburgh, which was incorporated 

 by Eoyal Charter in 1783. l At one of the early meetings 



1 The Royal Society had been preceded by the Philosophical Society, 

 out of which it sprang. Edinburgh at that time was famous for the 

 number of its clubs and convivial meetings, at some of which Black and 

 Hutton were constant companions. Various anecdotes have been handed 

 down of these two worthies and their intercourse, of which the following 

 may suffice as a specimen. ' ' These attached friends agreed in their 

 opposition to the usual vulgar prejudices, and frequently discoursed 

 together upon the absurdity of many generally received opinions, especially 

 in regard to diet. On one occasion they had a disquisition upon the 

 inconsistency of abstaining from feeding on the testaceous creatures of the 

 land, while those of the sea were considered as delicacies. Snails, for 

 instance why not use them as articles of food ? They were well known 

 to be nutritious and wholesome even sanative in some cases. The 

 epicures, in olden time, esteemed as a most delicious treat the snails fed 

 in the marble quarries of Lucca. The Italians still hold them in esteem. 

 The two philosophers, perfectly satisfied that their countrymen were 

 acting most absurdly in not making snails an ordinary article of food, 

 resolved themselves to set an example ; and accordingly, having procured 

 a number, caused them to be stewed for dinner. No guests were invited 

 to the banquet. The snails were in due season served up ; but, alas ! 

 great is the difference between theory and practice so far from exciting 

 the appetite, the smoking dish acted in a diametrically opposite manner, 

 and neither party felt much inclination to partake of its contents. Never- 

 theless, if they looked on the snails with disgust, they retained their awe 

 for each other ; so that each conceiving the symptoms of internal revolt 

 peculiar to himself, began with infinite exertion to swallow in very small 

 quantities the mess which he internally loathed. Dr. Black at length 



