138 Correspondence — Prof. A. C. Rammy. 



Mr. Judd calls a hypothesis, and I call a theory. It never occurred to 

 me that even in number they could be designated " an inconsiderable 

 minority of geologists," and I think I am justified in calling them a 

 considerable number, not only considered as an aggregate of units, but 

 also in one of the dictionary senses of the word considerable, " worthy 

 of respect or attention." That the already considerable number is 

 still growing is not disagreeable to me, and it was with pleasure that 

 not long ago, in debate on one of Mr. Ward's papers at the Geological 

 Society, I heard my always courteous and consistent opponent Mr, 

 Bonney yield the question, as I understood him, as far as the Cumber- 

 land lakes are concerned, though he reserved those of Italy. 



It is now eleven years since I replied to the objections raised to 

 my theory by Sir Charles Lyell. It is quite contrary to my ordinary 

 habits to indulge in scientific controversy, or to trouble myself about 

 objectors and objections, feeling sure that if a theory be good, it will in 

 the long run speed well ; if bad, it will die. I also believe that op- 

 position at first, and a subsequent slow and growing accretion of ad- 

 herents, is far better and more durable than hasty acceptance ; and I 

 would not have written this letter, had it not been that I am weary 

 of every now and then being accused of attributing the origin of all 

 rock-bound basins to glacial erosion, or of its being left to inference, 

 that I may be one of those who believe, '' that all the existing lake- 

 basins are to be assumed to have been produced by ice-erosion." 



After a careful reading of Mr. Judd's paper, I feel, with others, 

 that his arguments are very far from having " demonstrated that the 

 basins of the largest lakes in our own islands, in the Alpine regions 

 of Europe, and in equatorial Africa, respectively [this last no one 

 that I know ever supposed], could not possibly have been formed by 

 the supposed excavating power of ice." Some persons may also 

 perceive that a definite erosive power, whether adequate or not, was 

 in my case cited in given regions in which no one denies the former 

 existence of that power ; whereas in the other case of rock-bound 

 lakes in old glacier non -volcanic regions, disturbances of rocks have 

 to be assumed without the possibility of special demonstration, at all 

 events in a prodigious number of cases. Andrew C. Eamsay. 



Postscript. — The matter seems to me to bear a resemblance to the 

 long celebrated case of Touchstone versus " a certain courtier," in re 

 " the cut of a beard." I assert that my lakes are very " well cut." 

 The objector replied in the terms of " the third degree," and thus 

 ''he disabled my judgment." In our case the altercation may stop 

 here without any danger of its being continued as far as 'Hhe seventh 

 degree." Mr. Judd's argument seems to allow that there is "much 

 virtue in «/." Lake Balaton was formed so, and if so, then the pre- 

 sumed glacier-scooped lakes were in his opinion formed more or less 

 like Lake Balaton. What I said I said clearly, and made certain 

 reservations. Mr. Judd, satisfied with his judgment, as I am with 

 mine, makes no reservations of any value in my favour, and I shall 

 be well content to let the matter rest there. Let it be hoped that we 

 have " measured (s) words and parted." — A. C. K. 

 Geological Survey Ofpice, 



Museum : Jermyn Street, S.W. 



