THE GEOLOGIST. 



MAY 1864. 



DE. EEANKLAND ON THE GLACIAL EE A. 



By the Editor. 



Some of the novelties presented at the lectures at the Eoyal Insti- 

 tution have, from the hour they were spoken, taken rank with the 

 discoveries of the age and the data of science ; amongst such are 

 some of the most important results of the researches of Davy, 

 Earaday, and Tyndall. Others, as might be naturally expected, have 

 risen to no higher rank than that of hypotheses or an hour's amuse- 

 ment, and after exciting some discussion and comment, have passed 

 away into that oblivion to which all but fundamental or practically 

 useful facts are, sooner or later, consigned. Amongst those familiar 

 voices which we are there in the habit of hearing, few are listened 

 to with more pleasure, profit, or instruction, than that of Professor 

 Erankland, especially when he restricts himself to those branches of 

 chemistry in which he is so eminent. The Glacial period and the 

 former incandescence of the earth are two themes that geologists 

 are eternally dwelling upon — w r hether with profit to themselves or 

 with any advantage to their hearers it would be very difficult to say. 

 Eor once Professor Erankland has left those realms of chemistry 

 within which he is a monarch to run a lance at the same time both 

 for and against geologists. Basing a theory on the supposed exist- 

 ence of an internal molten mass constituting the core of our globe, 

 is taking for it about as secure a basis as any one might be presumed 

 to have who attempted to balance his body at the top of a mounte- 



VOL. VII. T 



