204 Review of '' Outlines of the 



and Werner, geology consisted of little else than mere mem- 

 bra disjecta; and it demanded no small share of anatomi- 

 cal skill to brinii "' bone to his bone." Before their day al- 

 so, appeared many an acroscopic phantom, called a theory of 

 thf earth; to which, with literal propriety, we might apply 

 anouier line of the poet : 



Monstrum liurrendum, informe, ingens, cui lumen ademptum. 



In a subsequent part of this article, we may s^y something 

 concerning the leading points of the HutioniaH and Werne- 

 rian theories. But however they may be viewed in other 

 respects, it will be allowed by all, that they form an impor- 

 tant epoch in the history of geology; and that they drew 

 the efforts of subsequ nt observers towards two grand foci, 

 from which a stream of light has been issuint;;, with increas- 

 ed splendour ever since : and should the brightness at these 

 centres decline and even be extinguished ; yet have their 

 beams been shed so copiously on the regions around them, 

 tha' there would be little danger of universal night. In 

 English history the name of William Smith, as " a great 

 original discoverer," as a matter of fact-man unincumbered 

 with theories, is held in high estimation, and his extensive 

 and accurate researches laid the foundation of the work at 

 the head of this article. While he was pursuing his inves- 

 tigations in England, the pupils of Werner, on the Europe- 

 an continent, were imbibing the zeal of their master in ob- 

 serving, and his accuracy in their arrangements and descrip- 

 tions; while Saussure was examining the Alps, and Pallas, 

 the Russian empire. It was not long however, before the 

 present constellation of European geologists arose. It was 

 a new and interesting field, and many a gentleman of distin- 

 guished talents and science was allured into it. It is suffi- 

 cient to mention in Great Britain, the names of Jameson, 

 Playfair, Mac Culloch, Greenough, Webster, Conybeare, 

 Buckl^nd, Phillips, Aikin, Weaver, Seymour, Griffith, Fa- 

 rcy. Bakewell, Parkinson, Sowerby, and Miller; and on 

 the continent of Europe, those of Cuvier, Brongniart, Dau- 

 bnisson, Humboldt, Von Bucb, Brocci, De Luc, Brochant, 

 and ])elametherie In the bands of such men, geology, for 

 the 1 lit iwcii'v vef <■-:, has outstripped even chemistry in its 

 progress. Instead of a few unassisted individuals, strug- 



