126 Editors Table. [F ebruary, 
not excepting the Indian and the negro. And we shall ultimately 
have the proud satisfaction of engraving on the tomb of science 
in this country, “ De mortuis nil nist bonum.” 
The Governor of Pennsylvania refers to the Geological 
Survey of the State, in his late message to the Legislature, in the 
following language : 
“The Second Geological Survey of the State is progressing as 
fast as the appropriations wiil permit. This is a work which, i 
not well done, should not be done at all. It must possess the 
utmost scientific accuracy. Its treatment of soils and minerals, 
their location and distribution, must be the result of painstaking 
work, done on the ground. Its surveys and alignments must 
show the actual facts, and be made from actual measurements. 
This is precisely the way in which this great and important work 
is being done. It is in the hands of a board who understand fully 
the value of the duty in hand, under the superintendence, as State 
Geologist, of J. Peter Lesley, Esq., whose attainments and qualifi- 
cations are unquestioned. So far forty-four reports of this work 
have been published, and sixteen reports are in preparation. 
These reports have justly attracted the highest attention every- 
where. Forty-two counties have been surveyed in full, eighteen 
in part, and seven not at all. These seven are Columbia, Luzerne, 
Lackawanna, Pike, Schuylkill, Berks, and Carbon. They embrace 
the anthracite coal region of the State, and have been reserved, 
that the work upon them may be made continuous and exhaus- 
tive. Ina scientific and commercial point of view the surveys to 
be done in them will possess the highest value. It will be expe- 
dient to make the appropriations to continue this work in accord- 
ance with the views of the board controlling the Second Geological 
urvey.” 
The recommendations of the Governor as thus expressed, are 
doubtless seconded by every friend of intellectual and material 
progress in the Commonwealth. The Geological Survey of Penn- 
sylvania has added, and will add important contributions to the 
knowledge of the laws of nature as exhibited in all the aspects of 
creation. Such are the chemical conditions of the primitive 
world; the forces which have distorted its crust; and the expe- 
riences and progress of ever present life, vegetable and animal, 
under these laws. It is of great importance to the educational in- 
terests of the country that the State governments should place 
before their people statements of the history of the regions which 
they represent. Such histories express in their highest aspect, 
the laws of life; and to the importance of a knowledge of these, 
no one can be insensible. The economic side of a geological sur- 
vey is, however, more generally appreciated, for it is evident that 
an inventory of her possessions is most desirable for a State to 
possess. It is especially so to a State like Pennsylvania, where 50 
large a part of the population is directly or indirectly dependent 
on the contents of the rock strata for their livelihood. 
