4 
Proceedings of Royal Society of Ediriburgh. 
SESS. 
former President, Sir James Hall of Dunglass, wlio instituted a 
remarkable series of researches which laid the foundation of what is 
styled Experimental Geology. Sir James Hall, acting on Bacon’s 
principle, “ non fingendum, nec excogitandum, sed inveniendum 
quod natura faciat,” made the first methodical endeavour to test the 
truth of geological speculation by appeal to experiment. The value 
of his work has been recognised not only in this country but on the 
continent. M. Daubree, the eminent French geologist, then Presi- 
dent of the Academy of Sciences of the Institute of France, who has 
written a classical work, entitled Etudes Synthetiques de Geologic 
Experimentalef in the letter presenting his work to our Society, 
says ; — 
Institut de France, 
Paris, le 19 Juin 1879. 
Monsieur le Pri^sident, — 
Permettez moi de recourir a votre obligeance pour 
vous prier de faire hommage en mon nom a la “ Koyal Society of 
Edinburgh,” d’un ouvrage que je viens de publier sous le titre d’Etudes 
Synthetiques de Geologie Experimentale. 
C’est sur le sol de I’Ecosse que s’est inspire le genie puissant et fecond 
de Hutton ; c’est dans les Transactions de votre celebre Compagnie que 
James Hall publiait, an commencement de ce siecle deux Memoires 
d’une haute importance pour la Geologie Experimentale ; mon hommage 
est done Men niotiv4. 
D’ailleurs comme President de I’Academie des Sciences de I’Institut de 
France je saisis cette occasion de payer un tribut d’estime a votre savante 
Compagnie. 
Veuillez agreer. Monsieur le President, I’assurance de ma haute 
consideration. A. Daubri^e. 
Monsieur le President de la Koyal Society at Edinburgh. 
In our own days. Sir Archibald Geikie has done much to main- 
tain the renown of this Society for geological research, and has 
communicated important papers on the geology of Europe and of 
Scotland, and in particular one of great interest and value on the 
Volcanic Kocks of the Firth of Forth. 
In a paper lately read here. Dr Hatch has shown that the 
carboniferous volcanic rocks of East Lothian consist of a Lower 
Basic series, and an Upper Trachitic series, which builds the main 
* 2 vols,, Paris, 1879. ‘ 
