NATIONAL GEOLOGICAL SURVEY——-RANSOME. 271 
of other branches of science, irresistibly drawn into the sphere of geological 
inquiry and speculation. Of the whole gallery of worthies that have passed 
before us, a comparatively small proportion could be classed as in the strictest 
sense professional geologists, such as Werner, Sedgwick, and Logan. Were we 
to step outside of that gallery, and include the names of all who have helped 
to lay the foundations of the science, we should find the proportion to be still 
less. 
From the beginning of its career, geology has owed its foundation and its ad- 
vance to no select and privileged class. It has been open to all who cared to 
undergo the trials which its successful prosecution demands. And what it has 
been in the past, it remains to-day. No branch of natural knowledge lies more 
invitingly open to every student who, loving the fresh face of Nature, is willing 
to train his faculty of observation in the field and to discipline his mind by 
the patient correlation of facts and the fearless dissection of theories. To 
such an inquirer no limit can be set. He may be enabled to rebuild parts of the 
temple of science, or to add new towers and pinnacles to its superstructure. But 
even if he should never venture into such ambitious undertakings, he will gain, 
in the cultivation of geological pursuits, a solace and enjoyment amid the cares 
of life, which will become to him a source of the purest joy. 
In this country at the present time, as Mr. David White, in an as 
yet unpublished address, has, I believe, pointed out, the amateur geolo- 
gist is rare, owing partly to the way in which the subject is taught, 
and few indeed are the contributions made to the science by those 
who follow geology as an avocation or hobby. This is unfortunate, 
and an improvement of this condition should be one of the major 
objects of the educational program of a national geological survey. 
The science lends itself particularly to pursuit as a recreation by 
men of trained intellect who must find in the open air some relief 
from sedentary professions. In a country still so new as ours geologic 
problems lie on every hand, and many of them can be solved wholly 
or in part without elaborate apparatus or laboratory facilities. The 
standards for the professional geologist should be high, but there is 
no necessity that maintenance of such standards should be accom- 
panied by a patronizing or supercilious attitude toward the work 
of the amateur. Rather, let the professional geologist cultivate 
sympathy, tolerance, and generosity toward all who are earnestly 
seeking for the truth; let him help by encouragement instead of 
deterring by disdain. There is no better evidence of a wide interest 
in geology than the existence of numerous amateur workers, and it 
is decidedly to the advantage of the professional geologist and of 
the science to encourage in every way possible the efforts of such 
workers and to increase their number. 
KINDS OF WORK TO BE UNDERTAKEN BY A NATIONAL GEOLOGICAL 
SURVEY. 
There has been considerable difference of opinion as to the kinds 
of work that should be undertaken by a national geological survey. 
