REPORT ON GEOLOGY. 
375 
ern Islands of Scotland had also received very important illus¬ 
trations in several Memoirs communicated by Dr.MacCullocli*. 
In relation to Continental geology, the very able Memoirs of 
Mr. Strangways, which so greatly extend our knowledge of the 
physical structure of an important portion of the Russian ter¬ 
ritory, claim especial notice; and the first series of our Geo¬ 
logical Transactions also contained some valuable papers on 
portions of our Indian empire, on Ceylon, and on Madagascar. 
I have been principally induced, in the present summary of 
the progress of geological science, to draw a line at the close of 
the first series of our Geological Transactions in 1821, because 
an author already alluded to has asserted in a recent publica¬ 
tion, that “ since that year geology has received scarcely any 
valuable additions, and not a single fundamental one.” Draw¬ 
ing a line at this point, therefore, I shall endeavour to give a 
slight sketch of the contributions which have really marked the 
progress of the science during this supposed period of inanition, 
leaving it to your judgement how far they really deserve the 
above depreciating character. 
Now although previously to this period the main features of 
English geology had been very amply illustrated, yet even in 
this province, where least remained to be accomplished, our ad¬ 
ditions have neither been few nor unimportant; and if we turn 
to Continental Europe, we shall find that what was then com¬ 
paratively a blank, has been now filled up to such a degree 
that we are actually in possession of nearly as good materials for 
a general geological map of Europe at the present day as we were 
for one of England only at the former date ; and to this, obser¬ 
vers from our own country have contributed no less than their 
ablest Continental brethren. Nor let it be imagined that this 
only supposes an extension of our knowledge in insulated de¬ 
tails ; it is in truth far otherwise ; since extensive comparative 
geology affords the only materials for obtaining the fundamen¬ 
tal facts of our science. It is by this inductive process alone 
that we can hope to collect and combine the data which exist 
for what may be termed a general geological chronology. It 
is thus only that we can ascertain to what extent and under 
what modifications the same geological causes have acted at 
the same epochs. It is thus only that we can learn, what have 
been the violence, extent, and epochs of the disturbing and ele- 
* These Memoirs were embodied in the work of that author on the Western 
Islands, published in 1819. His treatise on the Classification of Rocks, published 
in 1821, also claims notice as a very useful manual. Those who may have 
looked into his recent System of Geology, will feel why, in kindness to his repu¬ 
tation, his friends must here wish to close their survey of his publications. 
