Geology of England Wales, cj^c." 207 



4f style, in which this work is mostly written, we are much 

 gratified: especially when we recollect, how often works of 

 merit, in this department of knowledge, give pain to the 

 classical man, by the homely and uncouth dress in which 

 they are presented. In this work " a satisfactory proof has 

 6een afforded in opposition to the misrepresentations of 

 shallow sciolists, that the institutions of academical educa- 

 tion are far from being unfavourable to the cultivation of the 

 physical sciences, and that an ignorance of the rules of clas- 

 sical composition, and of the languages and philosophy of 

 polished antiquity are by no means essential advantages in 

 researches of this nature." (p. 48. Introd.) We think 

 however, that we discover some marks of haste in the put- 

 ting together of this work. For the sake of perspicuity, 

 we could wish to see many of its unusually long sentences 

 divided ; and we are rather surprised at the number, of 

 what appear, for the most part to be errors of the press. It 

 ought, however, to be remembered, that a part of the work 

 was not examined in proof by the writer. 



We shall for the present, omit giving any notice of the In- 

 troduction, and proceed to exhibit the several series of 

 rocks in England and Wales, in the order which this work 

 assigns to them; with a reference to the same formations in 

 this country, so far as geological writers, or our own obser- 

 vations, enable us to indentify them. To ascertain how 

 far the rock formations in the different parts of the globe co- 

 incide with those of Europe, is now the leading object, to 

 which European geologists are directing their attention. 

 Let not our readers suppose, that we refer merely to that divi- 

 sion of the formations denominated primitive, transition, 

 and secondary. These are merely the first lines of geology; 

 and to arrange the rocks of a country according to them, is 

 a task, which, though demanding labour and patience, is 

 yet snaall in comparison with that of correctly referring 

 them to those more numerous divisions which recent dis- 

 coveries have rendered necessary, and which the work be- 

 fore us recognises. When those divisions shall have been 

 carried so far that no-two species can be blended together, 

 and all the rocks of the globe are referred to their proper de- 

 grees in the scale, then will geology have reached the ulti/ 

 ma Thtile of her dominions. 



