80 
WILLIAM SMITH : HIS MAPS AXD MEMOIRS 
He must Lave made mucli money by liis engineering skill, but it 
all seems to have been spent in connection with the publication of his 
maps. In 1819 he gave up his house in London, and sold off all his 
furniture, collections and books, and for the next seven years he became 
a wanderer in the north of England, rarely visiting London save on 
professional engagements."* This doubtless accounts for the incom- 
plete state (. f some of his publications, referred to later. Probably the 
first lectm-e Smith gave in Yorkshire, was delivered to the Philosophical 
and Literary Society at Leeds in 1821. I am indebted to Mr. H. E. 
Wroot for the following reference to it, which he has obtained from an 
old file of The Leeds Mercury : — 
" A lecture out of the ordinar)' course was delivered last Satur- 
day evening, [Nov. 17th. 1821], at the Hall oi our Philosophical 
and Literary Society, by Mr. William Smith, a geologist of dis- 
tinguished merit and reputation. Mr. Smith, being present on 
the preceding evening, when a subject which in some degree 
connected itself with geology was discussed, generously offered to 
address the Society the following day, and to illustrate the subject 
by his own geological map. He gave therefore, on Saturday, a 
full and interesting description of the varied stratification of 
Yorkshire, occasionally extending his view to the principal strata 
of the whole Kingdom. Mr. Smith made also some useful 
suggestions on the arrangement of the geological specimens in the 
Society's Museum. The lecture, which displa3'ed surprising stores 
of knowledge, and great clearness as well as vigour of mind in the 
lecturer, gave universal satisfactioii : and the societj' evidently 
felt much gratified b\ the interest Mr. Smith showed in its welfare. 
We trust the example set by this gentleman will be followed by 
other emineut scientific men who may pass througb the town.f 
The lecture which attracted William Smith was a discussion by 
Mr. Luccock on the place in nature of the Hippocampus, the " sea 
horse." It is interesting to notice the vigour and enthusiam of the 
Leeds Philosophical Society in those days. It was able to hold 
meetings twice a week — Wednesdays and Fridays— with occasional 
* Woodward, Proc. Bath. Nat. Hist, and Ant. F. Club, 1902, Vol. 
X., pt. l,p. 7. 
j Leeds Mercury, Nov. 24^ 1821. 
