THE 
GEOLOGICAL MAGAZINE. 
No. Il.—_FEBRUARY 1865. 
ORIGINAL ARTICLES. 
—_+—_— 
I. Notes ON THE SHAPE AND STRUCTURE OF SOME PARTS OF THE 
ALPS, WITH REFERENCE TO DENUDATION. 
By Joun Rusxty, Hsq., F.G.8., &e. 
T is often said that controversies advance science. I believe, 
on the contrary, that they retard it—that they are wholly 
mischievous, and that all good scientific work is done in 
silence, till done completely. For party in politics, there are 
some conceivable, though no tenable, reasons; but scientific 
controversy in its origin must be always either an effort to 
obscure a discovery of which the fame is envied, or to claim 
eredit for a discovery not yet distinctly established: and 
it seems to me there are but two courses for a man of sense 
respecting disputed statements ;—if the matter of them be in- 
deed doubtful, to work at it, and put questions about it, but 
not argue about it; so the thing will come out in its own time, 
or, if it stays in, will be no stumbling-block ; but if the matter 
of them be not doubtful, to describe the facts which prove it, 
and leave them for what they are worth. 
The subject of the existing glacial controversy between older 
and younger geologists seems to unite both characters. In 
some part, the facts are certain and need no discussion; in 
other points, uncertain, and incapable of being discussed. 
There are not yet data of measurement enough to enable us_ to 
calculate accurately the rate of diluvial or disintegrating 
action on mountains; there are not data of experiment enough 
to enable us to reason respecting the chemical and mechanical 
development of mountains ; but all geologists know that every 
one of these forces must have been concerned in the formation 
VOL. II.— NO. VIII. E 
