228 



THE GEOLOGIST. 



several meetings of the members of the Geological Society, 

 (founded, as it is, for the common welfare of the interests 

 of science) are, according to their view, to be only tran- 

 scribed into the minute book, there to remain for ever 

 undisturbed — there to be lost in forgetfulness, although 

 in them, the outlines of discussions will hereafter be found, 

 condemnatory of many a theory, and many a statement; 

 all these must some day rise up in judgment against the 

 Society, which has permitted the statements to go forth 

 under their sanction, howsoever much they may have 

 disapproved of the ideas. 



It is clear, that it is useless for a number of persons to 

 assemble, to hear a simple communication, or the record 

 of one simple fact read at a meeting; such subjects could be 

 better promulgated, through the medium of a periodical work, 

 where everybody may read and judge for himself; but when 

 any thing at all dubious is laid before the Society, the pri- 

 vate interests of the author, if such there be, must sink 

 into insignificance before the opinions of a body of men, 

 constituting, as we have before said, a Geological Tribunal. 

 The council of the Geological Society, express their ex- 

 treme regret, that we should have allowed any allusions to 

 their meetings to be inserted — words said in public are 

 public property, is the justification which we must adopt, 

 and as the Society has not endeavoured to refute one word 

 of our comment, we feel assured that " they paused and 

 the moral came home to their heart.^^ That the Society will 

 not permit such comments, is another question, in which 

 they can have no voice, for the reasons we have already 

 given ; and in justice to Geologists, contemporaries, and 

 scientific men generally, we shall, when occasion requires, 

 continue to notice such extraordinary proceedings as those 

 relating to the Cambrian affair; convinced that if the 

 Society will not itself act in the spirit of fairness, we, being 



