146 LONDON AND CAMBRIDGE. [Oh. VII. 



referred to his other works, as much as to say, " You must, 

 ought, and shall buy everything I have written." To my 

 mind, you have somehow quite avoided this; your refer- 

 ences only seem to say, " I can't tell you all in this work, else 

 I would, so you must go to the Principles ; and many a one, 

 I trust, you will send there, and make them, like me, adorers 

 of the good science of rock-breaking.* You will see I am in a 

 fit of enthusiasm, and good cause I have to be, when I find 

 you have made such infinitely more use of my Journal than I 

 could have anticipated. I will say no more about the book, 

 for it is all praise. I must, however, admire the elaborate 

 honesty with which you quote the words of all living and 

 dead geologists. 



My Scotch expedition answered brilliantly ; my trip in the 

 steam-packet was absolutely pleasant, and I enjoyed the spec- 

 tacle, wretch that I am, of two ladies, and some small children 

 quite sea-sick, I being well. Moreover, on my return from 

 Glasgow to Liverpool, I triumphed in a similar manner over 

 some full-grown men. I stayed one whole day in Edinburgh, 

 or more truly on Salisbury Craigs ; I want to hear some day 

 what you think about that classical ground, — the structure 

 was to me new and rather curious, — that is, if I understand it 

 right. I crossed from Edinburgh in gigs and carts (and carts 

 without springs, as I never shall forget) to Loch Leven. I 

 was disappointed in the scenery, and reached Glen Roy on 

 Saturday evening, one week after leaving Marlborough Street. 

 Here I enjoyed five [?] days of the most beautiful weather with 

 gorgeous sunsets, and all nature looking as happy as I felt. I 

 wandered over the mountains in all directions, and examined 

 that most extraordinary district I think, without any excep- 

 tions, not even the first volcanic island, the first elevated 

 beach, or the passage of the Cordillera, was so interesting to 

 me as this week. It is far the most remarkable area I ever 

 examined. I have fully convinced myself (after some doubt- 

 ing at first) that the shelves are sea-beaches, although I could 

 not find a trace of a shell ; and I think I can explain away 

 most, if not all, the difficulties. I found a piece of a road in 

 another valley, not hitherto observed, which is important ; and 



* In a letter of Sept. 13 he wrote : — " It will be a curious point to 

 geologists hereafter to note how long a man's name will support a theory 

 so completely exposed as that of De Beaumont has been by you ; you 

 ay you ' begin to hope that the great principles there insisted on will 

 stand the test of time.' Begin to hope : why, the possibility of a doubt 

 has never crossed my mind for many a day. This may be very unphilo- 

 gophical, but my geological salvation is staked on it." 



