VI PREFACE. 



progress of these studies made by members of any nationality 

 can only be appreciated in their true values when held in the 

 balance with the general position of research at the time, and 

 with the discoveries and advances made by other geologists 

 irrespective of nationality. 



In spite of some doubt and consideration on my part, it 

 seemed absolutely necessary to continue the History of Geology 

 and Palceontology to the present day. A historical exposition 

 of these sciences which should close with the sixth or even 

 the eighth decade of the nineteenth century, would be out of 

 date in many respects and out of touch with the modern 

 standpoint. My . task was made more difficult by such an 

 extension of the subject-matter, as there has been no previous 

 historical work dealing with the newer researches. Further, 

 the mode of treatment which appeared most suitable for the 

 older periods could not be retained with advantage for the 

 treatment of the modern development. The greater and 

 greater specialisation and branching of the science which took 

 place during the latter half of the nineteenth century, seemed 

 to demand individual descriptions of the different areas of 

 research in preference to a general comprehensive survey of 

 the leading features in all. 



The geological writings of antiquity have little scientific 

 value, and they are therefore only briefly indicated. Again, the 

 period subsequent to the downfall of the- Roman Empire and 

 extending into the second half of the eighteenth century, 

 though it has contributed a number of noteworthy observa- 

 tions, is mainly conspicuous for its hypotheses. Whewel.l, 

 Brocchi, Lyell, and others have depicted this older develop- 

 ment of geology. Keferstein's Geschichte und Literatur der 

 Geognosie is continued to the year 1840, but for the period 

 from 1820 to 1840 it supplies only an enumeration of books 



