6 Life of a Geologist of a Century Ago — 



describing the geology of any English county, and one which in its 

 plan and scope has not at present been superseded. Much necessarily 

 requires revision in the classification of both the strata and their 

 included fossils ; but the work has retained its place as a standard 

 book of reference for Norfolk. He attended the meeting of the 

 British Association at Cambridge in 1833, in company with his 

 friend Mr. Caleb Eose, of Swaffham, but they do not appear to 

 have been much gratified with their visit ; for, as his friend after- 

 wards remarked in a letter, "authorities were ponderous," and we 

 were only " insignificant labourers." 



In this year Professor Sedgwick was appointed a Canon of Norwich 

 Cathedral, and his advent was indeed a happiness to the Norfolk 

 geologist. Dr. Mantell, writing from Brighton (December 14th, 

 1834), says: "Believe me you are most fortunate to have such a 

 man near you ; it will more than compensate for your distance from 

 all the other savants in England. I think Mr. Sedgwick by far the 

 hiost talented and splendid man we can boast of. I only wish we 

 had a Cathedral here, and he had a stall in it." 



During the Professor's residence in Norwich, they not unfrequently 

 met, Sedgwick often inviting Woodward to the Close, and coming 

 occasionally to spend an evening at Grove Cottage, to look over 

 the treasures in his geological collection. 



In February, 1835, he delivered a lecture on "The Antediluvian 

 Topography of Norfolk " at an evening conversazione of the Norfolk 

 and Norwich Museum. 



About this period his health seems to have been verj' feeble; he 

 v/as suffering from a most trying complaint, diabetes. At times he 

 had to relinquish his duties at the Bank, and seek in travel and 

 change of scene, a temporary alleviation from his indisposition. 

 Thus, on the 13th July, 1835, he went by packet to Yarmouth, and 

 thence to Hull, where he inspected the Hull Natural History Museum 

 with Mr. W. H. Dykes, and Mr. John Edward Lee, the Curator of 

 the Museum. He next proceeded to Beverley, and afterwards to 

 Scarborough, where he met Mr. W. Bean, Dr. William Smith, and 

 Mr. Williamson, and was shown the geology of the coast by William 

 Smith. Thence to York to visit John Phillips and the York Museum ; 

 afterwards to Leeds, to the Museum and to visit Mr. H. Denny. 

 Then on to Preston to slay with Mr. Gilbertson, the well-known 

 collector of Mountain Limestone fossils.^ Later on he returned via 

 Liverpool, and made his first railway journey from that city to 

 Manchester, thence to Nottingham and so through Derbyshire by 

 Buxton and Matlock to Derby and back to Nottingham, then on to 

 Newark and so home via Sleaford, Lynn, and Dereham to Norwich, 

 a truly formidable journey in those days. 



In 1836 we find him again in London, seeking health, though 

 mostly visiting amongst friends and attending the meetings of 

 scientific societies. 



In September, the Marquis of Northampton, who was much 

 interested in geology, visited him at Grove Cottage, Lakenham, in 



^ Whose collection, like William Smith's, is now preserved in the British Museum 

 (Natural History) . 



