AMERICAN GEOLOGY MAOLUREAN ERA, 1785-1810. 239 



These conjectures, it will he observed, are not quite those of Werner, 

 since the original paste constituting the globe must, according to Eaton, 

 have been rather a mechanical admixture than a chemical solution. 

 While the early stages of precipitation, whereby the heaviest mate- 

 rials were deposited in the form of concentric layers of metals, might 

 be suggestive of a condition of solution or aqueo-igneous fusion, the 

 subsequent deposition of the secondary rocks, which are so plainly 

 fragmental, leaves us to conclude that he regarded the primary condi- 

 tion as that of a mechanical mixture or emulsion. 



Eaton in his index deviated somewhat from Werner's classification 

 also in that he placed the argillaceous slates in the transition rather 

 than in the primitive class." 



The year 1819 was signalized by the organization, in the philosoph- 

 ical room of Yale College, of the American Geological Society, the 

 tirst American society devoted mainly to geological and allied subjects. 

 Though this continued in existence only until the end 

 s\£fe r ty a mT logica ' of 1828, it was productive of much good in stimulating 

 workers throughout the country. Maclure was elected 

 president, with Colonel Gibbs, Professor Silliman, Professor Cleave- 

 land, Stephen Elliott, R. Gilmor, S. Brown, and Robert Hare, vice- 

 presidents. Among the more prominent members were Akerly, 

 Bruce. Cornelius, S. L. and J. F. Dana, Dewey, Eaton, Godon. 

 Hitchcock, Mitchill, Ratinesque, Schoolcraft, and Steinhauer, while 

 the names of Emmons, Harlan, Lea. Morton, Troost, and Vanuxem 

 appear among the younger and then less prominent workers. 



The society published nothing and has left little that is tangible to 

 tell of its existence, though Eaton, in the second edition of his Index 

 to the Geology of the Northern States, makes the following interesting 

 comment concerning its personnel: 



The president of the American Geological Society, "William M'Clure, esq., has 

 already struck out the grand outline of North American geographical geology. The 

 first vice-president, Col. G. Gibbs, has collected more facts and amassed more geolog- 

 ical and mineralogical specimens than any other individual of the age. The second 

 vice-president, Professor Silliman, his learned and indefatigable colleague in these 

 labors, gives the true scientific dress to all the naked mineralogical subjects, which 

 are furnished to his hand. The third vice-president, Professor Cleaveland, is suc- 

 cessfully employed in elucidating and familiarizing those interesting sciences; and 

 thus smoothing the rugged paths of the student Professor Mitchill has amassed a 

 large store of materials, and annexed them to the labors of Cuvier and Jameson. 

 But the drudgery of climbing cliffs and descending into fissures and caverns and ul 

 traversing in all directions our most rugged mountainous districts to ascertain the 

 distinctive characters, number, and order of our strata has devolved on me. I make 

 no pretensions to any peculiar qualifications other than that bodily health and con- 

 stitutional fitness for labor ami fatigue which such an employment requires. 



"Silliman in his review of the work (American Journal of Science, I, 1819, p. 

 70) called attention to the fact that the clay slate may belong either to primitive, 

 transition, or secondary formations. He also questioned if the West Stockbridge 

 marble should not be regarded as primitive rather than metalliferous. 



