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Ch. IV.] 



NEW SCHOOL OF GEOLOGY. 



85 



with him in the race. The execution of his map was com- 



■ 



pleted in 1815, and remains a lasting monument of original 

 talent and extraordinary perseverance ; for lie had explored 

 the whole country on foot without the guidance of previous 

 observers, or the aid of fellow-labourers, and had succeeded 

 in throwing into natural divisions the whole complicated 

 series of British rocks. D'Aubuisson, a distinguished pupil 

 of Werner, paid a just tribute of praise to this remarkable 

 performance, observing, that ' what many celebrated mineralo- 

 gists had only accomplished for a small part of Germany in 

 the course of half a century, had been effected by a single 

 individual for the whole of England/ * 



Werner invented a new language to express his divisions 

 of rocks, and some of his technical terms, such as greywacke, 







gneiss, and others, passed current in every country in Europe. 

 Smith adopted for the most part English provincial terms, 

 often of barbarous sound, such as gault, cornbrash, chinch, 

 clay ; and affixed them to subdivisions of the British series. 

 Many of these still retain their place in our scientific classifi- 

 cations and attest his priority of arrangement. 



MODERN PROGRESS OP GEOLOGY. 



The contention of the rival factions of the Yulcanists and 

 Neptunists had been carried to such a height, that these 

 names had become terms of reproach ; and the two parties 

 had been less occupied in searching for truth, than for such 

 arguments as might strengthen their own cause or serve to 

 annoy their antagonists. A new school at last arose, which 

 professed the strictest neutrality, and the utmost indifference 



to the 



iems of Werner 



Hutton 



diligently to devote its labours to observation. The reac- 

 tion, provoked by the intemperance of the conflicting parties, 

 now produced a tendency to extreme caution. Speculative 

 views were discountenanced, and, through fear of exposing 



mas 



a party, some 



became anxious to entertain no 



opinion whatever on the causes 



momena 



and were 



* See Dr. Fitton's Memoir, before cited, p. 57. 



