SMITH, William, was known amongst geologists by the designation of "The Father of English Geology;" and familiarly amongst his acquaintances, in order to distinguish him from others of the same name, as "Stratum Smith." He will be more generally remembered as the framer and author of the first complete geological map of England and Wales, and as the discoverer of the principle of the identification of strata by their included organic remains, which has now passed into the elements of the science. He was born at Churchill, in Oxfordshire, on March 23, 1769,—the same year in which Cuvier saw the light. Deprived of his father, who was an ingenious mechanic, before he was eight years old, he depended upon his father's eldest brother, who was but little pleased with his nephew's love of collecting "pundrubs" (terebratulae), and "pound-stones" or "quoit-stones" (large echinites, frequently employed as a pound-weight by dairywomen); and had no sympathy with his propensity to carve sun-dials on the soft brown
"oven-stone" of his neighbourhood. Circumstances led to his becoming a mineral surveyor and civil engineer. In the former capacity he traversed the oolitic lands of Oxfordshire and Gloucestershire, the lias clays and red marls of Warwickshire, and other districts of geological interest; in all of which he noticed the varieties of strata and soils. In 1791 he surveyed an estate in Somersetshire, and walked to it, and far round it, to observe the strata. In 1793 he executed the surveys and completed the levellings for the line of a proposed canal, in the course of which he confirmed a previous supposition, that the strata lying above the coal were not horizontal, but inclined in one direction—to the eastward—so as to terminate successively at the surface, and to resemble, on a large scale, the ordinary disposition of the slices of bread and butter on a breakfast plate—an illustration to which he was frequently accustomed to resort in all societies and on all occasions.
On being appointed engineer to the Somerset Coal Canal in 1794, he was deputed to make a tour of observation with relation to inland navigation. During this tour, which occupied nearly two months, and extended over 900 miles, he carefully examined the geological structure of the country passed over, and corroborated his preconceived generalization of a settled order of succession in the several strata, a continuity of range at the surface, and a general declination eastward. Five years subsequently he prepared a tabular view of the "Order of the Strata, and their imbedded Organic Remains, in the neighbourhood of Bath, examined and proved prior to 1799." From this period up to 1812, he was engaged in completing and arranging the data for his large Geological Map of England and Wales, with part of Scotland, and he now commenced this publication. In 1816 the entire map was published, and was contained in fifteen large sheets, engraved on a scale of 5 miles to 1 inch. Its size was 8 feet 9 inches high, by 6 feet 2 inches wide. When this map is regarded as the result of the nearly unassisted labours of one man, not favoured by education or special tuition, it must ever remain as a signal proof of what genius and perseverance can accomplish, even although it may now be in a great measure superseded. The large map was reduced to one of an elementary form and size in 1819; and from this date to 1822 separate county geological maps were prepared by Mr Smith, and published in successive years; the whole constituting "A New Geological Atlas of England and Wales; on which are delineated by colours the Courses and Width of the Strata, which occasions the varieties of soil; calculated to elucidate the Agriculture of each County, and to shew the situation of the best materials for Building, making of Roads, the constructing of Canals, and pointing out those places where Coal and other valuable materials are likely to be found." This series included an excellent four-sheet map of Yorkshire.
It was in January 1831 that the Geological Society of London, by their Council, resolved unanimously to confer on Mr Smith the first Wollaston Medal. At the meeting of the British Association, held in Oxford, June 1832, the above medal was put into Mr Smith's possession; and the writer well remembers the simple and almost boyish glee with which the receiver exhibited his medal to every one with whom he came into contact, exclaiming many times in a morning, "Have you seen my medal?" and then producing it. A fuller and more substantial honour was conferred upon him by the Government, at the united request of English geologists, in the shape of a life-pension of L.100 per annum. The last public distinction with which he was honoured was the unexpected diploma of LL.D., conferred upon him by Trinity College, Dublin, at the meeting of the British Association in that city in 1835. At such meetings he was always, if possible, present, and always heartily welcomed and honoured. To see him in an arm-
chair near the president of the geological section was to see him in his glory. He was now in his 67th year.
In 1838 he was appointed one of the Government Commissioners engaged to examine various building-stones, and to select the best for the new Houses of Parliament. Dr Smith's previous knowledge was here of signal benefit. The last years of his life were spent at Hackness (of which he made a good geological map), near Scarborough, and in the latter town. In these places the writer frequently visited him, and was impressed with his originality, devotion to geology, simplicity of character, and self-satisfied industry in observing minute phenomena. Dr Smith accumulated great numbers of geological memoranda in loose papers, which were never published. His usually robust health failed him in 1839, and on August 28th of that year he died. He once said he was born on the oolite, and should wish to be buried on it; and so he was, at Northampton. His nephew, Professor John Phillips, has penned an interesting memoir of his uncle. Of Dr Smith we may finally remark, that he laid deep and broad the foundations upon which others are now erecting an elegant and richly-sculptured temple of science. (J. R. L.)