VJ6 



THE GEOLOGIST. 



of those sections, etc. which were submitted at the meetings, 

 in illustration of the author's views. 



The cursory reports contained in the proceedings " of 

 your Society, and the total absence of any more lengthened 

 notice of many articles in the " Transactions,'^ are a very 

 sinecure pubhcation of observations and discoveries for the 

 benefit of geological science, and it is a source of much 

 regret, that so many observations should be lost to the 

 world. Gladly would we ourselves, as the only periodical 

 devoted to the science of geology, give immediate insertion 

 to the abstract of the proceedings in full, and furnish, for 

 the benefit of the geological public, with your assistance, 

 sections and diagrams illustrative of the communications, 

 in lieu of the present method of inserting regrets at the 

 incompleteness of the reports. Your answer would oblige, 

 etc. etc. 



We will leave our friends to judge, whether we have 

 expressed their sentiments or not. 



Geology is a science in a degree independent of natural 

 history in general, although it cannot be denied that its 

 objects are the same in the end, and the means by which the 

 general object should be accomplished are of the same 

 nature; it is not for the aggrandisement of the naturalist 

 himself, but for the praise of the creator and governor of the 

 universe. All persons must be convinced of this latter 

 argument, and with us, will naturally regret to find the pro- 

 gress of discovery impeded by party-spirited dissensions 

 as to the merits of particular discoveries. We are glad to 

 find an active spirit of friendly endeavour to promote the 

 general good, and the origin of fresh questions for the display 

 of talents, perseverance, and research ; and on no one occa- 

 sion have we been more gratified than on finding the revival 

 of a subject so generally interesting as the agency of glaciers 



