34 
CONGRES GEOLOGIQUE INTERNATIONAL. 
Feb., 1890. 
tive man develop, the desire for intercourse with his fellow- 
creatures, as well as the need of mutual aid, must be increas¬ 
ingly felt, and his practical reason must take shape in a rudi¬ 
mentary morality. The emotions are brought into play, and 
act and re-act with the social environment, so that character 
on the one hand, and society on the other, are progressively 
modified. 
(To be continued.) 
THE LONDON MEETINGS OF THE CONGEES 
GEOLOGIQUE INTEENATIONAL, 
September 17th to 29th, 1888. 
BY REV. G. DEANE, D.SC., B.A., F.G.S.* 
It may be interesting at the outset to give some idea of 
the personnel of the gathering. The roll of members of the 
Congres, revised and corrected to Wednesday, the 19th Sep¬ 
tember, includes 835 names from all the civilized countries of 
the world. Of these 407 were present in London, 256 being 
from the British Isles, and 151 from other countries. 
Germany contributed 29, Austria-Hungary 10, Belgium 16, 
Canada 4, Spain 4, United States 16, France 18, Italy 11, 
Bussia 13, Switzerland 5, Sweden 4 ; even Boumania sent 3, 
and other countries lesser numbers. I give these details to 
show the widespread organization of the Congress, and the 
interest taken in it by geologists of all nations. In all 
twenty-six countries are represented on its roll. 
With representatives speaking such diverse languages, it 
is clear that some common language must be used as the 
vehicle of communication, and for this purpose French has 
been chosen in the meetings as likely to be intelligible to the 
greatest number. I cannot say that the result impresses me 
with the possibility of efficient public discussion of abstruse 
points by accomplished specialists of different nationalities. 
But notwithstanding this, litera scripta manet —the written 
record remains ; and remains not only for the use of those 
who were present, but also for the use of all interested in the 
subjects throughout the world. 
The meetings were held in the rooms of the University of 
London, in Burlington Gardens. For myself, there was 
something grotesque in seeing the halls, wherein twenty 
*A paper read at the Meeting of the Geological Section of the 
Philosophical Society of Birmingham, on 22nd November, 1888. 
