458 
THE GEOLOGIST. 
and ontortainmont from its kind-lioartcd and hosjiitablc aiitlior. The book also 
receives an additional charm in t-lic pretty drawings of the tyjiical, as well as 
handsome, Ilolup/i/cli'nis Aiiderxoiii, by Lady Kinuau'd — a name also interestingly 
associated with the fossil tropiiics of Dura Den. 
BemarJoi on the Geolor/i/ of Cornwall and Devon. By Capt. CiiABLES Thomas, 
of Dolcoath Mine, Camborne. 
In a country like England, where great wealth and political position is due iti 
no small extent to the dcvelopnunit 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 aU 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 thing, well enough for a French- 
man or a German, but something quite beneath the " practiccU common sense" 
of a true born John Bull. In the army or navy, the farm or the mme, it was 
everywhere the same. The last twenty years, however, has a good deal changed 
this ; science is now popular enough — uideed 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. Wliatever may be its other virtues, a retii-ing ditfidence 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 superticial — there is one corner of our isle to which we can turn and 
see the good old reign of " practical common sense" luishaken and immoveable. 
In the royal county of Cornwall scientific innovation — if proposed to be appUed 
to the working of its great metalhc resources — would meet with pretty much 
the same feeungs 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 
ruliug powers of Naples. Here at least — alone we believe among all our in- 
dustrial commuaities — 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 mmd with scientific " theories," as a 
high cast Brahmin would of polluting his Hps with the flesh of cow-beef. But 
it IS only an act of justice to admit tliat while this is generally the case among 
the Cornish miners, there are yet some exceptions ; there are some who really 
desu'c knowledge, although, from the circumstances that sui'round them there 
are only few who succeed in attainmg it, and those few generally disconnect 
themselves socially from their class, which has become distasteful to them, and 
f)ass into another sphere. Of those who do seek earnestly after scientific know- 
edge, and yet wholly fail in 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 
trusted and respected mining agents in Cornwall — A man of solid sense and 
respectability, he is above the petty and mean vanity of many of his class 
which induces them to assumes a jiseudo-scientific knowledge tor the purpose 
of attaiiiiug notoriety. As he honestly says himself, " I aim rather at bemg 
understood by miners than being scientific." Of a man like this, while we shall 
speak plainly of liis erroneous notions, we need not say we eiitertaia a hearty 
personal respect. 
Before we go fm-ther, we shall say a few words on the subject of observation, 
and the impossibility of placmg any reliance upon the allcdged " facts" put 
forth by non-scientific persons. The following excellent observations in a recent 
