The Geological Work of Prof. Joseph Le Conte. 2 1 7 



room at the University of California during more than thirty 

 years, he presented to interested audiences the best that 

 there is in his subject. Such was his power of explanation 

 and description in the lecture room that the most difficult 

 problems seemed absolutely to melt away, and after hearing 

 him on such subjects students have been known to state that 

 explanation seemed hardly necessary, as the matter was so 

 easily understood. Through the medium of his text-book, 

 "The Elements of Geology," he has covered a vastly larger 

 field than could be reached in his lectures. Probably no col- 

 lege text-book in science has been more widely used in this 

 country than "The Elements." Certainly, there are none 

 which present in a simpler or more attractive form the ele- 

 ments of any science. His treatment of the subject was, 

 when his book first appeared, in many respects essentially 

 new, and almost for the first time it was made clear that geo- 

 logical history is only the earlier part of history in general. 



With the passing of Professor lye Conte, geologists lose a 

 great contributor and leader, and the world loses a great 

 teacher. Others may arise who in scientific attainment in 

 this particular branch of research will perhaps stand in the 

 same rank with him, but it will be long before we find again 

 in one man that combination of qualities which has made 

 Professor Le Conte not only one of the most successful gath- 

 erers of knowledge, but also one of the foremost teachers. 



