WILLIAM SMITH I HIS MAPS AND MEMOIRS 
175 
1832. 
Apparently the last separate publication Smith issued was a single 
lolio sheet, entitled a " Synopsis of Geological Phenomena," which was 
printed at Oxford in 1832 at the second meeting of the British Associ- 
-ation. It measures 14 ins. by 21 ins. No mention whatever appears to 
be made of this " Synopsis " in the detailed report of the Oxford 
meeting. Fortunately, one of these is preserved in the Geological 
Society's Library, and a copy of it, in smaller type, is given herewith. 
1837. 
The first volume of The Magazine of Natural History new series, 
1837 (usually known as CharlesivortK s Magazine), contains two contri- 
butions by Smith. They are both short, but important. The first 
occurs on pages 386-7, and is entitled Practical Distinctions in Minerals, 
and is signed William Smith, LL.D., Scarborough, May, 10, 1827.* 
It reads : — 
" PKACTICAL DISTINCTIONS IN MINERALS. 
" On March 31st, 1836, I discovered that the finest particles of mica 
and quartz in stone may be readily distinguished without the aid of 
glasses ; and, conceiving that this simple method of knowing the differ- 
ence in some of our most common minerals may be serviceable to 
geologists, I beg the insertion of it in your most useful magazine. 
" With this view, therefore, without attempting any philosophical 
explanation of the phenomenon, I merely relate the circumstances of its 
practical application : first observing, with pleasure, that the eye, which 
gives us the power of knowing so much, and of knowing one thing from 
another so distinctly, Avithout our being able to explain how we make 
the distinctions, is happily receiving from Sir David Brewster, and other 
philosophers eminent in optical science, that attention it is entitled to. 
"My sight has been particularly good, having been able to distinguish 
•objects very clearly, near and at a great distance ; and now, in my 69th 
year, I can distinguish a small speck of mica, in a brown-red sandstone, 
at the distance of 4 yards ; and, in the full bright light of the sun the 
brilliant reflections from facets of much smaller crystals of quartz. I 
was led to this experiment by finding amongst our Scarborough gravel. 
* A misprint for 1837 ; Smith did not get his honorary degree 
till 1835. 
