Reviews — Symonds' Records of the Rocks. 83 



I. — Eecords of the Kocks, or Notes upon the GFeology, Natural 

 History, and Antiquities of North and South Wales, Devon, 

 AND Cornwall. By the Kev. W. S. Symonds, F.G.S. 8vo. pp. 

 484, with numerous Illustrations. (London, 1872 : John Murray.) 



CIINCE Hugh Miller gave to the world his testimony of the Eocks, 

 O we have not had a more fascinating book than the " Eecords of 

 the Eocks," by the Eev. W. S. Symonds. It is the work of a master 

 upon the subject, and one who is well acquainted with the classical- 

 regions of England and Wales upon which the " Eecords " treat. 

 It is indeed almost a complete guide to the natural and physical 

 history and antiquities of the Principality and border counties. 

 The author, as stated in his Preface, has " dealt with some districts 

 to which Murchison hardly alludes, and with subjects that would 

 have been foreign to his purpose." 



An interesting description of the igneous rocks occupies the 

 " Introduction," and prepares the reader for the many references in 

 the text to the phenomena and distribution of igneous and volcanic 

 action, so grandly developed in the Cambrian and Silurian rocks of 

 Britain, without some knowledge of which no student can penetrate 

 into the structural mysteries, or understand the grand and varied 

 scenery, of the mountainous regions of Wales. The rock masses 

 of the wonderful regions of lona, Staffa, the Giant's Causeway, 

 Arthur's Seat, Cader Idris, and Snowdonia, in our own country, 

 Auvergne, the Ardeche, and the regions of Etna and Vesuvius, have 

 no place in the minds of those who know nothing of the chemical 

 condition or constituents and physical structure of the masses com- 

 posing them. The general reader will find a simple yet good 

 account of the igneous rocks in the author's introduction. 



The historical portion of the "Eecords" commences with the 

 oldest sedimentary rocks on the globe, now termed Laurentian. 

 These ancient deposits constitute a large portion of Canada, West 

 Scotland, and fragments also exist at Malvern and Charnwood, etc- 

 Language only such as that used by the author can convey any 

 idea of the wild scenery of the North-western part of Sutherlandshire 

 and the Hebrides, where "the spectator who ascends to the haunts of 

 the ptarmigan on Queenaig beholds a weird and wonderful scene. 

 He looks upon low masses of rugged gneiss hills, which api^ear like 

 a rolling sea, its waves frozen hard and fast as they rocked to and 

 fro." To any one knowing the history of these vastly ancient rocks 

 of Wales. Malvern, and Scotland, there is a charm in the manner in 

 which Mr. Symonds treats them, and the associated archaeological 

 and botanical features render the description classical and unique. 

 We know of no better account of the British Laurentian rocks than 

 that given in the first chapter of the " Eecords." 



The author in his treatment of the Cambrian rocks divides them 

 into two groups, Lower and Upper Cambrian. Great ability and 

 knowledge are displayed in the whole chapter upon the Cambrian 



