Remarks on Dr. Boase's Primary Geology. 541 



" Truth, not victory, is the object contemplated : and if my con- 

 clusions have been legitimately deduced from the facts brought for- 

 ward, their value cannot be diminished by an exposure to the fullest 

 scrutiny." 



As might have been expected, the correctness of the author's 

 views has been disputed by those who tell us that " the the- 

 ories of primary geology have been settled long ago/' By those 

 who having examined imperfectly a confined and partially ex- 

 posed tract of primary rocks, call their science " a knowledge 

 of the earth/' and by all those who cannot believe descrip- 

 tions to be correct, which may be at variance with their pre- 

 conceived ideas of natural phenomena. He has been told, 



" That the granitic formation of Cornwall may not be analogous 

 to that of other countries : that he has greatly erred in supposing the 

 circumstances of this narrow peninsula to be applicable to all grani- 

 tic districts ; and that a more extended knowledge would lead him to 

 confess, with the peasant Tityrus, 



" Urbem, quam dicunt Iiomam, Melibcee, pulavi 

 Stultus ego huic nostrse similem. 3 ' 



In his 3rd and 5th Chapter, the author in copious extracts 

 from published descriptions, endeavours to show how far his 

 description of facts in Cornwall agrees with observation in 

 other parts of the world, and comparison can be made also 

 with my imperfect description of the similar formation of the 

 Bharramahal in South India. 



In consequence of the hasty manner in which the work has 

 been drawn up, a want of classification of observation and 

 remark is apparent throughout, by which the perusal is 

 rendered fatiguing and laborious, although it is written in la 

 plain and pleasing style ; but it is to be hoped that in a second 

 edition this objection will be removed. 



Upon the neglect of the study of the primary rocks, and 

 the very few published minute descriptive details regarding 

 them, the author remarks : 



