50 clinton's introductory discourse. 



have a benign influence on knowledge ; and the experience of a cen- 

 tury and a half bears testimony to this truth. 



The objects of The Literary and Philosophical Society of New-York 

 being coextensive with the principal branches of human knowledge, an 

 unbounded prospect of investigation lies before us. It would be an 

 Herculean task, far transcending my powers, and occupying too much 

 time, to point out those desiderata in science which ought to be sup- 

 plied, and to indicate those improvements and refinements which ought 

 to be engrafted into our literature ; but it may not be unimportant, with 

 respectful deference, and in a very concise manner, to invite your atten- 

 tion to those objects of inquiry which refer to the peculiar situation of this 

 country, which have been little attended to, or entirely neglected, and 

 which, on account of their peculiar importance, deserve and demand 

 our notice. 



In the first place, the geology of our country is almost unknown, and 

 few attempts have been made to elucidate it. William Maclure has, 

 indeed, applied the Wernerian system to the United States, has under- 

 taken to divide the country into regions of primitive transition, flsetz, 

 and alluvial rocks, and has, upon this plan, delineated those different 

 formations in a geological map of the United States. He has not no- 

 ticed any volcanic formations, probably from an opinion that none exist. 

 Dr. Mitchill, in a report made to the Agricultural Society, has divided 

 the state into 



The granite country, 



The schistic, 



The lime stone, 



The sand stone, and 



The alluvial ; 

 and has designated the different regions in which those divisions exist. 



