XXXVl PROCEEDINGS OF THE GEOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 



Devonshire." 6. "On the Geology of the Environs of Nice and the 

 Coast thence to Ventimigha." And 7., in conjunction with Dr. 

 Buckland, " On the Geology of the neighbourhood of Weymouth 

 and the adjacent parts of the Coast of Dorset." But while thus 

 engaged in collecting and describing the facts which came under his 

 observation, he did not neglect the more abstruse and speculative 

 branches of the science. From his numerous observations in differ- 

 ent regions, he arrived, by a sound and energetic system of induction, 

 at many of those theoretical views which give a charm to his subse- 

 quent writings, and may in fact be said to have laid the foundation 

 of the present school of geological philosophy. 



But besides these numerous memoirs in the "Transactions" of 

 our Society and others in the "Philosophical Magazine," the 

 "Annals of Philosophy," and other scientific journals, his first 

 distinct volume appears to have been a translation, with notes, of 

 a selection of Geological Memoirs from the " Annales des Mines." 

 In 1829 he published in 8vo. *A Notice on the Excavation of 

 Valleys/ * Sketch of a Classification of European Rocks,' and * Geo- 

 logical Notes ; ' and in 4to a valuable series of forty * Sections 

 and Views Illustrative of Geological Phaenomena,' which has long 

 been out of print. 



In 1831 he published the first, and in 1832 the second edition of 

 * The Manual of Geology,' a work of which it is not too much to 

 say that it not only offers to the geological student the most perfect 

 view of the then state of geology, but that, with the exception of 

 some slight modifications rendered necessary by the subsequent rapid 

 progress of palaeontology, it is one of the most philosophical intro- 

 ductions to the science ever published. 



But Mr. De la Beche did not stop here. In 1 834 he published a 

 still more valuable and important work. The ^ Researches in Theo- 

 retical Geology* is a work of the highest order of merit, and, indicat- 

 ing as it does a thorough knowledge of several branches of science, 

 was the admiration of all his associates ; it also exhibits those 

 powers of mind and sound reasoning which enabled him soon after- 

 wards to rise to that station which he filled with so much advantage 

 to his country and with such credit to himself. It is impossible to 

 read a single page of this interesting volume without being struck 

 with the internal evidence it affords of the intimate acquaintance of 

 the author with the various branches of physical science. Chemistry, 

 Physics, Mineralogy, Zoology, and Mathematics are all brought 

 forward at the proper moment and in due proportion in elucida- 

 tion of the author's views ; and we hardly know which is most 

 deserving of our admiration, the clear and comprehensive form 

 in which the various topics are brought forward, or the keen and 

 sagacious judgment with which they are sifted and considered, 

 and conclusions are drawn from the varied and well-described 

 phsenomena. 



But a new epoch in his career was now commencing, and his own 

 exertions were to lay the foundation of a great national institution. 

 During his many visits to the mining districts of Cornwall he con- 



