First Publication of the Geological Society

Abstract

IT is interesting to learn¹ that an original copy of the “Geological Inquiries”, said to be the first publication of the Geological Society, has been discovered in the library of the Sedgwick Museum. When Woodward stated that “No records appear to have been preserved of the printed geological inquiries that were circulated among the members”, he was evidently unaware that this pamphlet had been reprinted, apparently verbatim, in A. Tilloch's Philosophical Magazine, 49, 421–429 (1817). The queries were also included in full (unnumbered, and without the introduction) by Thomas Walford, F. A. S., F. L. S., in his “The Scientific Tourist through England, Wales and Scotland”, London, 1818, 2 vols., 12mo. (vol. 1, pp. 50–55), a copy of which is in the library of the Geological Society. It may perhaps be of interest to add that the latter publication also includes a folding plate, “Geological Table of British Organised Fossils... with reference to Mr. Smith's Geological Maps”. This is almost identical with Smith's well-known table which appeared in the later issues of the memoir accompanying his map and was also published separately.