Bath in its relation to Science. 117 



given to the present writer, " His canal work fixed in his 

 mind facts as to strata generally, gave him the strong evidence 

 of organic remains and enabled him to construct an accurate 

 section of the entire series of the secondary formations." 

 Obtaining eminence, he was honored with a doctor's degree, 

 and did much for the scientific education of his nephew. 

 Professor Philips of Oxford, F.R.S., F.G.S., who wrote his 

 life. His discoveries interested many with whom he had 

 intercourse in the neighbourhood. Amongst them were 

 three clergymen of considerable learning and ability — Joseph 

 Townsend, Rector of Pewsey, Benjamin Richardson, Rector 

 of Farleigh, and John Josias Conybeare, Rector of Bath- 

 easton, who was also Professor successively at Oxford of 

 Anglo-Saxon and Poetry. All these not only acknowledged 

 the great value of Dr. Smith's discoveries, but excited much 

 attention by working in conjunction with him, and giving 

 the results of their labours to the world. Smith and 

 Richardson were one day dining with Townsend at his house 

 in Pulteney-street, where he lived many years, when it was 

 proposed that a tabular view should at once be put in writing 

 of the main features of their favourite subject as expounded 

 by Smith. It shewed the different strata according to the 

 succession in descending order, beginning with the chalk 

 and numbered in continuous series down to the coal. The 

 original MS. is now in the possession of the Geological 

 Society of London, with the following memorandum signed 

 by Dr. Smith. " This table of the strata, dictated by myself, 

 is in the hand- writing of the Rev. Benjamin Richardson at 

 the house of the Rev. Joseph Townsend, Pulteney-street, 

 Bath, 1799." 



g^jjj In 1824-5 ^ great effort was made in Bath 



Institution. On behalf of "Art, Literature, and Science" 



