viii Preface. 



sometimes presented to the reader, form merely the dry 

 bones of geology. 



By attentively reading and remembering these 

 successive revolutions of ancient geographies, the reader 

 will more or less realise the geological history of our 

 country, and perceive those processes of physical evolu- 

 tion that, in the long lapse of time, gradually im- 

 pressed on Britain its present geographical phase, 

 which to most men seems so stable, but is, in reality, no 

 more lasting than those which went before. As keen- 

 eyed Chaucer well expounded five hundred years ago : 



( Well may men knowen, but it be a fool, 

 That every part deriveth from his hool ; 

 Of no partie ne cantle of a thing, 

 But of a thing that parfit is and stable, 

 Descending so, till it is corumpable. 

 And therefore of his wise purveyance 

 He hath so well beset his ordinance, 

 That speces of things and progressions 

 Shullen enduren by successions, 

 And not eterne, withouten any lie : 

 This maiest thou understand and seen at eye.' 



Among many other matters, the subject of the Mio- 

 cene strata of Britain has been more largely treated of, 

 with special reference to the absence of recognised Mio- 

 cene mammalia in our country, and the subject of gla- 

 cial geology has, also, been treated more fully than in 

 previous editions, while a condensed account of all 

 the explored English bone-caves and their contents has 

 been added, with special reference to the question of 

 the antiquity of man. 



I have to express my acknowledgment of the debt I 



