Professor J. E. Marr — Address. 465 



are now gathered, have taken prominent part in advancing branches of 

 our science which are not directly concerned with industrial affairs. 

 I am reminded, for instance, that one amongst you, himself a busy 

 professional man, has in his book on "The Origin of Mountain Kauges " 

 given to the world a theoretical work of the highest value ; that, on the 

 opposite side of the county, those who are responsible for the formation 

 and management of that excellent educational institution, the Ancoats 

 Museum, have wisely recognized the value of some knowledge of geology 

 as a means of quickening our appreciation of the beauties of Nature ; and 

 that one who has done solid service to geology by his teachings, who has 

 kept before us the relationship of our science to that which is beautiful — 

 I refer to the distinguished author of "Modern Painters" — has chosen 

 the northern part of the county for his home, and has illustrated his 

 teaching afresh by reference to the rocks of the lovely district around 

 him. Nor can I help referring to one who has recently passed away — the 

 late Sir Joseph Prestwich — the last link between the pioneers of our 

 science and the geologists of the present day, who, though born in London, 

 was of Lancashire family, and whom we may surely therefore claim as one 

 of Lancashire's worthies. With these evidences of the catholicity of taste 

 on the part of geologists connected with the county, I feel free to choose 

 my own subject for this address, and, my time being occupied to a large 

 extent with academic work, I may be pardoned for treating that subject 

 in academic fashion. As I have paid considerable attention to the branch 

 of the science which bears the somewhat uncouth designation of strati- 

 graphical geology, I propose to take the present state of our knowledge 

 of this branch as my theme. 



Of the four great divisions of geology, petrology may be claimed as 

 being largely of German origin, the great impetus to its study having 

 been given by Werner aud his teachings. Palaeontology may be as justly 

 claimed by the French nation, Cuvier having been to so great an extent 

 responsible for placing it upon a scientific basis. Physical geology we 

 may partly regard as our own, the principles laid down by Hutton and 

 supported by Playfair having received illustration from a host of British 

 writers, amongst whom may be mentioned Jukes, Ramsay, and the 

 brothers Geikie ; but the grand principles of physical geology have been 

 so largely illustrated by the magnificent and simple features displayed 

 on the other side of the Atlantic, that we may well refer to our American 

 brethren as leaders in this branch of study. The fourth branch, strati- 

 graphical geology, is essentially British as regards origin, and, as everyone 

 is aware, its scientific principles were established by William Smith, who 

 was not only the father of English geology, but of stratigraphical geology 

 in general. 



Few will deny that stratigraphical geology is the highest branch of 

 the science, for, as has been well said, it "gathers up the sum of all that 

 is made known by the other departments of the science, and makes it 

 subservient to the interpretation of the geological history of the earth." 

 The object of the stratigraphical geologist is to obtain information con- 

 cerning all physical, climatic, and biological events which have occurred 

 during each period of the past, aud to arrange them in chronological 

 order, so as to write a connected history of the earth. If all of this 

 information were at our disposal, we could write a complete eai'th-history, 

 and the task of the geologist would be ended. As it is, we have barely 

 crossed the threshold of discovery, and the "imperfection of the geological 

 record," like the "glorious uncertainty" of our national game, gives 

 geology one of its great charms. Before passing on to consider more 

 particularly the present state of the subject of our study, a few remarks 

 upon this imperfection of the geological record may not be out of place, 



DECADE IV. VOL. III. — SO. X. 30 



