historians who have recorded the progress 

 of the sciences to which he devoted his 

 attention have alluded more or less fully 

 to his published papers. But it is not 

 until a review is made of his contributions 

 to each of the sciences of geology, physics 

 and astronomy that an adequate concep- 

 tion can be formed of the place that is due 

 to him in the history of English science. 

 Recent researches among the archives 

 of the Royal Society and of its dining 

 Club brought the name of this modest 

 investigator so frequently before me as to 

 rouse my interest in his career. I was 

 induced to search for any personal details 

 regarding him that might still be recover- 

 able, and to peruse such of his writings as 

 I had not previously read. As the result 

 of this enquiry I have thought it to be 

 my duty to bring his life and his solid 

 achievements in science more promi- 

 nently to notice. Hence the origin of 

 the present Memoir. 



