EDITORIAL. 727 



who created the works. The friendships formed and the conse 

 quent sympathy with one another cannot fail to be a stimulus to 

 mutual kindly criticism and helpful suggestion. The widening 

 acquaintance in the past few years of many of the geologists of 

 the world is without doubt one of the chief causes of the decline 

 of unpleasant controversy. This bringing men together from 

 all lands, and the formation of personal relations between them 

 may perhaps be considered one of the most important functions of 

 the International Congress. In this particular, if this be true, the 

 last session was unsurpassed in importance by any previous one. 

 The only feeling of discontent which one brought away was 

 grounded on the human limitation of indivisibility, for many 

 interesting things were occurring; at the same time. One wished 

 not only to accompany one excursion before and another after the 

 sessions, but two or more, and many found it very difficult to decide 

 between them. The same may be said of the sessions. But this 

 criticism is one which our brothers in Switzerland will doubtless 

 take without hostility. The writer, and I have no doubt all other 

 geologists foreign to Switzerland who came only with a desire 

 for the advancement of geology, went away with a warm feeling 

 of gratitude toward the Swiss geologists, who labored so long 

 and faithfully to make the Congress what it was, — a high success. 



C. R. V. H. 



The explorer that enters a field whose sensational phases 

 excite extreme popular interest must often pay the penalty of 

 misinterpretation. His chief motive is easily supposed to spring 

 from the sources of chief popular concern. It is not easy for 

 the masses to suppose that he is stimulated by any higher inter- 

 est than that which appeals most strongly to them. The dis- 

 comfort of this is offset, in a certain way, by the popular tribute 

 which is accorded him solely because his endeavor is miscon- 

 strued. His true purpose would be received with indifference. 

 It is only when those whose interest takes a higher form share 

 in the popular interpretation, without sharing in the popular 

 interest and applause, that the penalty becomes a proper source of 



