458 



THE GEOLOGIST. 



and entertainment from its kiiid-liearted and liospitablc author. The book also 

 receives an additional charm in the pretty drawdiigs of tlie typical, as well as 

 handsome, Holoptj/chius Aiidersoni, by Lady Kinnaird — a name also interestingly 

 associated with the fossil trophies of Dura Deii. 



Remarks on the Geologfj of Cormcall and Devon. By Capt. Charles Thomas, 

 of Dolcoath Mine, Camborne. 



In a country like England, where great wealth and political position is due in 

 no small extent to the development of its mineral and industrial resources, it is 

 always a matter of importance to observe how far science can be brought to aid 

 in the furthering of these great material objects. Of course we all know the 

 opinion of the "practical" man of the old school on this subject. Science, ac- 

 cording to his views, was a sneaking kind of thm^, well enough for a Ereuch- 

 man or a German, but somethmg quite beneath the " practical common sense" 

 of a true born John Bull. In the army or navy, the farm or the mine, it was 

 everywhere the same. The last twenty years, however, has a good deal changed 

 this ; science is now popular enough — indeed almost too popular, for while every 

 one wants to know it, there are many who won't take the trouble of learning it, 

 but, on the strength of a week's " cram," pretend or imagine they know all 

 about it. Whatever may be its other virtues, a retiring diffidence is certainly 

 not a characteristic of the nineteenth century. 



But in the midst of aU this progress — real and sound, as well as hasty, shal- 

 low, and superficial — there is one corner of our isle to which we can turn and 

 see the good old reign of " practical common sense" unshaken and immoveable. 

 In the royal county of Cornwall scientific innovation — if proposed to be applied 

 to the working of its great metallic resources — would meet with pretty much 

 the same feelings as M. Mazzini's doctrines — if proposed to be applied to the 

 government of the state — might be expected to excite in the bosoms of the 

 ruling powers of Naples. Here at least— alone we believe among all our in- 

 dustrial communities — not only will they not exert themselves to procure some 

 scientific education, but when, by the munificence of a few gentlemen, it is 

 brought home to their door, they literally won't have it. A true bred Cornish 

 miner would as much abhor soiling his mind with scientific " theories," as a 

 high cast Brahmin would of polluting his lips with the flesh of cow-beef. But 

 it is only an act of jn.stice to admit that while this is generally the case among 

 the Cornish miners, there are yet some exceptions ; there are some who really 

 desire knowledge, although, from the circumstances that surround them there 

 are only few who succeed in attaining it, and those few generally disconnect 

 themselves socially from their class, which has become distasteful to them, and 

 pass into another sphere. Of tliose who do seek earnestly after scientific know- 

 ledge, and yet wholly fad iii attaining it, the author of the pamphlet, whose 

 title we have put at the head of this notice, is an excellent type. 



Captain Charles Thomas, of Dolcoath mine, is deservedly one of the most 

 1 rusted and respected mimng agents in Cornwall — A man of solid sense and 

 r(>spcctabLlity, he is above the petty and mean vanity of many of his class 

 wliich induces them to assumes a pseudo-scientific knowledge for the purpose 

 of attaining notoriety. As he honestly says himself, " I aim rather at beuig 

 understood by miners than being scientific.'' Of a man like this, while we shall 

 speak plaidy of his erroneous notions, we need not say we entertain a hearty 

 personal respect. 



Before we go further, we shall say a few words on the subject of observation, 

 and the impossibility of placing any reliance upon the alledged "facts" put 

 forth by nou-scicntific persons. The* foUowmg excellent observations in a recent 



