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In the nineteenth century, geology emerged as a distinct academic discipline. It pointed the way towards the theory of evolution, as scientists including Gideon Mantell, Adam Sedgwick, Charles Lyell and Roderick Murchison began to use the evidence of minerals, rock formations and fossils to demonstrate that the Earth was older by millions of years than the conventional, Bible-based wisdom had supposed. They argued convincingly that the climate, flora and fauna of the distant past could be deduced from geological evidence. Volcanic activity, the formation of mountains, and the action of glaciers and rivers, tides and ocean currents also became better understood. This series includes landmark publications by pioneers of the modern earth sciences, who advanced the scientific understanding of our planet and the processes by which it is constantly re-shaped.

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149 results in Cambridge Library Collection - Earth Science

Page 7 of 8

Traité de Géognosie
  • Ou, Exposé des Connaissances Actuelles sur la Constitution Physique et Minérale du Globe Terrestre
  • Volume 2
  • Jean Francois Aubuisson de Voisins
  • Published online:
    07 September 2011
    Print publication:
    30 June 2011
    First published in:
    1819
  • Jean François Aubuisson de Voisins (1769–1841) was a French geologist and engineer who studied under Abraham Gottlob Werner at Freiberg together with Humboldt, von Buch and Jameson. Werner had coined the term geognosy to define a science based on the recognition of the order, position and relation of the layers forming the earth. His theory of the marine origins of the Earth's crust (Neptunism) was widely accepted at the time. Aubuisson however showed that igneous rocks such as basalt were similar to surface lava flows, and were not chemical precipitates of the ocean. His two-volume Traité de Géognosie, published in 1819, was one of the earliest geology books in French. It was highly successful, and gained him wide professional recognition. Volume 2 describes different categories of rocks and minerals, and formations including basalt dykes, ore deposits, and intruded veins. It also puts forward arguments challenging some of Werner's theories.

A Manual of Scientific Enquiry
  • Prepared for the Use of Her Majesty's Navy and Adapted for Travellers in General
  • Edited by John Frederick William Herschel
  • Published online:
    07 September 2011
    Print publication:
    16 June 2011
    First published in:
    1849
  • Sir John Frederick William Herschel (1792–1871) – astronomer, mathematician, chemist – was one of the most important British scientists of the nineteenth century. Son of the famous astronomer William Herschel, he was persuaded by his father to pursue the astronomical investigations William could no longer undertake; John's subsequent career resulted in a knighthood and a lifetime of accolades. This 1849 publication was commissioned by the Admiralty to encourage and assist naval officers to undertake scientific research while abroad. The work provides instructions in making and recording observations in a wide range of disciplines – astronomy; magnetism; hydrography; tides; geography; geology; earthquakes; mineralogy; meteorology; atmospheric waves; zoology; botany; ethnology; medicine; statistics – written by experts in these fields, including Whewell, Darwin, Hooker and Herschel himself. It was hoped that the instructions could also be used by other travellers to advance scientific knowledge, and the work remained in print for over fifty years.

Memoirs of William Smith, LL.D., Author of the 'Map of the Strata of England and Wales'
  • By his Nephew and Pupil
  • John Phillips
  • Published online:
    07 September 2011
    Print publication:
    02 June 2011
    First published in:
    1844
  • William Smith (1769–1839) was best known as the author of the Map of the Strata of England and Wales – indeed, he was known as 'Strata' Smith. His Memoirs, edited by his nephew John Phillips and published in 1844, tell the story of his life from his beginnings as a blacksmith's son in Oxfordshire to his geological work. Smith began as an assistant to a land surveyor and moved into mine-related projects, including excavations for canal-building. During the course of one such project he realised the significance of strata within layers of rock, and in subsequent surveys he could locate deposits of coal, iron and other minerals. Smith suffered throughout his life from financial problems which frustrated publication of his works; his map was published in 1815, but further works were never completed. Towards the end of his life, however, he finally received the scientific recognition that was his due.

Etna
  • A History of the Mountain and its Eruptions
  • G. F. Rodwell
  • Published online:
    07 September 2011
    Print publication:
    30 June 2011
    First published in:
    1878
  • G. F. Rodwell (1843–1905) was researching an entry about Mount Etna for the Encyclopaedia Britannica when he realised that no history of this Italian volcano existed in English. He therefore he began the present work, which was published in 1878. Rodwell starts by looking at classical and literary references before giving a detailed physical description of the volcano. One chapter is devoted to explaining how to climb the mountain – something Rodwell was qualified to do, as he had scaled it himself in 1877. He also gives a historical account of the most dramatic aspect of Etna – its many eruptions, which had first been recorded as early as 525 BCE, while the most recent activity had taken place in 1874, only a few years before Rodwell's ascent. With its focus on history and geology, and inclusion of illustrations and maps, Etna gives a detailed portrait of this famous volcano.

Naturgeschichte der Vulcane und der Damit in Verbindung Stehenden Erscheinungen
  • Volume 2
  • Georg Landgrebe
  • Published online:
    07 September 2011
    Print publication:
    30 June 2011
    First published in:
    1855
  • This two-volume natural history of volcanoes and volcanic phenomena was first published in Germany in 1855 by the chemist and mineralogist Georg Landgrebe (1802–1872), and was intended for scientifically literate enthusiasts rather than for specialists. The book begins with a review of contemporary work on volcanoes, explaining the theories of Leopold von Buch and the lively international debates they had generated among scholars including Charles Lyell, George Poulett Scrope and Charles Daubeny (also reissued in this series). Volume 1 lists the world's volcanoes by region. Volume 2 begins with chapters on earthquakes and other phenomena including hot springs, mud volcanoes and oil wells. It then focuses on the minerals found in volcanic regions, giving details of their composition and structure, references to scientific work about them, and information about locations where they occur. The volume ends with a section on basalts and other rocks associated with volcanoes.

Life, Letters, and Works of Louis Agassiz
  • Volume 1
  • Jules Marcou
  • Published online:
    07 September 2011
    Print publication:
    20 January 2011
    First published in:
    1896
  • On the basis of extensive material in the form of letters, pamphlets and the recollections of friends and contemporaries, Jules Marcou (1824–1898) tells the story of the life and work of Louis Agassiz in this two-volume work of 1896. The Swiss-born palaeontologist, glaciologist and zoologist (1807–1873) is regarded as one of the founding fathers of the modern American scientific tradition. Marcou, a fellow countryman and collaborator of Agassiz, does not attempt to conceal his high regard for the subject of his biography but does have 'in view the truth'. In a chronological narrative, Volume 1 traces the childhood and early professional success of Agassiz, including his charming of the great von Humboldt. It describes Agassiz' time as professor in Switzerland and his marriage, ending with the arrival of Agassiz in America and his first attempts at forging a university career there.

Life of Sir Roderick I. Murchison
  • Based on his Journals and Letters
  • Volume 1
  • Archibald Geikie
  • Published online:
    07 September 2011
    Print publication:
    02 June 2011
    First published in:
    1875
  • Sir Roderick Impey Murchison (1792–1871) was an influential Scottish geologist best known for his classification of Palaeozoic rocks into the Silurian system. After early military experience in the Peninsular War, he resigned his commission; a chance meeting with Sir Humphrey Davy led him subsequently to pursue a scientific career. The Silurian System, published in 1839, was a highly influential study, which established the oldest contemporary classification of fossil-bearing strata. Murchison was appointed President of the Royal Geographical Society in 1843. These volumes, first published in 1875, use information taken from Murchison's private journals and correspondence. Archibald Geikie (1835–1924) provides a detailed account of his mentor's life and work in the context of geology as a developing science in the early nineteenth century, and provides a fascinating insight into the life and work of this eminent Victorian geologist. Volume 1 describes Murchison's early life and geological studies until 1842.

Biographical Account of James Hutton, M.D. F.R.S. Ed.
  • John Playfair
  • Published online:
    07 September 2011
    Print publication:
    02 June 2011
    First published in:
    1797
  • James Hutton (1726–1797) was an eminent Scottish scientist known chiefly for his work in geology. Educated at Edinburgh University, Hutton then travelled to Europe to study medicine before going into industry. He spent over a decade farming his family property in Scotland before returning to academic and commercial life. Hutton became an established geologist who also published on chemistry, meteorology and philosophy as an active member of the Edinburgh Royal Society. This volume, first published in 1805, is a detailed and affectionate chronicle of Hutton's life by his close friend, geologist and mathematician John Playfair. The author recounts Hutton's academic career, speculates on the motivation behind his foray into farming and includes a detailed discussion of his main geological theories. With little of Hutton's correspondence and papers surviving, this account by an intimate contemporary is the key resource for studying the life of an intriguing figure in scientific history.

Considerations on Volcanos
  • The Probable Causes of their Phenomena, the Laws Which Determine their March, the Disposition of their Products, and their Connexion with the Present State and Past History of the Globe
  • George Poulett Scrope
  • Published online:
    07 September 2011
    Print publication:
    19 May 2011
    First published in:
    1825
  • George Julius Poulett Scrope (1797–1876) published Considerations on Volcanos in 1825. The work contains the results of his observations of volcanos in the volcanic regions of central France, Italy and Germany. It includes scientific descriptions of all volcanos in these areas, with each categorised according to its level of activity, main characteristics and geological history. Scope's work was one of the first attempts at a comprehensive theory of volcanic action and an understanding of the significance of volcanos as evidence for the earth's history. Scrope argued that volcanos should be studied in terms of known geological processes, and that 'non-catastrophic' causes should be considered to explain their formation. He argued that a gradual cooling of the earth was key to the formation of volcanos. This is a major work of nineteenth-century geology that sets out many of the principles still followed in vulcanology.

A Comparative View of the Huttonian and Neptunian Systems of Geology
  • In Answer to the Illustrations of the Huttonian Theory of the Earth, by Professor Playfair
  • John Murray
  • Published online:
    07 September 2011
    Print publication:
    02 June 2011
    First published in:
    1802
  • John Murray (1778–1820) was a public lecturer and writer on chemistry and geology. After attending the University of Edinburgh he became a popular public lecturer on chemistry and pharmacy. He was also a prolific writer of chemistry textbooks which were widely used in British universities. This popular volume, first published anonymously in 1802, contains Murray's critical response to John Playfair's volume Illustrations of the Huttonian Theory of the Earth, also published in 1802 and re-issued in this series. In this volume Murray clearly describes both the competing Huttonian and Neptunian (also known as Wernerian) theories of rock formation. Using much of the same geological evidence as Playfair, Murray also objectively analyses the theories' claims through rock and fossil formations and concludes in support of the Wernerian theory. This valuable volume explores one of the major geological controversies of the period and illustrates the main contemporary criticisms of Hutton's work.

Life of Sir Roderick I. Murchison
  • Based on his Journals and Letters
  • Volume 2
  • Archibald Geikie
  • Published online:
    07 September 2011
    Print publication:
    02 June 2011
    First published in:
    1875
  • Sir Roderick Impey Murchison (1792–1871) was an influential Scottish geologist best known for his classification of Palaeozoic rocks into the Silurian system. After early military experience in the Peninsular War, he resigned his commission; a chance meeting with Sir Humphrey Davy led him subsequently to pursue a scientific career. The Silurian System, published in 1839, was a highly influential study, which established the oldest contemporary classification of fossil-bearing strata. Murchison was appointed President of the Royal Geographical Society in 1843. These volumes, first published in 1875, use information taken from Murchison's private journals and correspondence. Archibald Geikie (1835–1924) provides a detailed account of his mentor's life and work in the context of geology as a developing science in the early nineteenth century, and provides a fascinating insight into the life and work of this eminent Victorian geologist. Volume 2 describes his later life, from 1843 to 1871.

Illustrations of the Huttonian Theory of the Earth
  • John Playfair
  • Published online:
    07 September 2011
    Print publication:
    19 May 2011
    First published in:
    1802
  • John Playfair (1748–1819) was a Scottish mathematician and geologist best known for his defence of James Hutton's geological theories. He attended the University of St Andrews, completing his theological studies in 1770. In 1785 he was appointed joint Professor of Mathematics at the University of Edinburgh, and in 1805 he was elected Professor of Natural Philosophy. This highly influential book, first published in 1802, contains Playfair's clarification and summary of Hutton's geological concepts. Playfair concisely explains Hutton's theories on erosion and geothermal heat in rock formation and the concept of uniformitarianism in geology, illustrating these theories with his own precise observations on different types of rock strata. The clarity of Playfair's explanations was instrumental in popularising Hutton's geological theories, many of which are now recognised as key principles of modern geology. Playfair's strident defence of Hutton's ideas formed part of a controversial debate between Hutton's supporters and his detractors.

Earthquakes and Other Earth Movements
  • John Milne
  • Published online:
    07 September 2011
    Print publication:
    09 June 2011
    First published in:
    1886
  • John Milne (1850–1913) was a professor of mining and geology at the Imperial College of Engineering, Tokyo. While living in Japan, Milne became very interested in seismology, prompted by a strong seismic shock he experienced in Tokyo in 1880. Sixteen years later Milne and two colleagues completed work on the first seismograph capable of recording major earthquakes. This book, originally published in London in 1886, explains why earthquakes happen and what effects they have on land and in the oceans. As Milne points out, Japan provided him with 'the opportunity of recording an earthquake every week'. Starting with an introduction examining the relationship of seismology to the arts and sciences, the book includes chapters on seismometry, earthquake motion, the causes of earthquakes, and their relation to volcanic activity, providing a thorough account of the state of knowledge about these phenomena towards the end of the nineteenth century.

The Wonders of Geology
  • Or, a Familiar Exposition of Geological Phenomena
  • Volume 1
  • Gideon Algernon Mantell
  • Edited by G. F. Richardson
  • Published online:
    07 September 2011
    Print publication:
    21 October 2010
    First published in:
    1838
  • Gideon Mantell (1790–1852) was an English physician and geologist best known for pioneering the scientific study of dinosaurs. After an apprenticeship to a local surgeon in Sussex, Mantell became a member of the Royal College of Surgeons in 1811. He developed an interest in fossils, and in 1822 his discovery of fossil teeth which he later identified as belonging to an iguana-like creature he named Iguanadon spurred research into ancient reptiles. These volumes, first published in 1838, contain a series of eight lectures which describe and explain early principles of geology, stratification and fossil plants and animals to a non-scientific audience. These detailed volumes became Mantell's most popular work, and provide a fascinating view of the study of geology and palaeontology during the early nineteenth century. Volume 1 contains lectures 1–4, discussing the formation and composition of rock strata, chalk formations and fossil animals.

Istoria dell'Incendio dell'Etna del Mese Maggio 1819
  • Carmelo Maravigna
  • Published online:
    05 August 2011
    Print publication:
    02 June 2011
    First published in:
    1819
  • Mount Etna in Sicily is one of a small number of active volcanoes in the Mediterranean area, where written history survives from more than two millennia: its eruptions are therefore among the best documented in the world. This account of the eruption of 1819 was written by the chemist and vulcanologist Carmelo Maravigna, a professor at the University of Catania, who was commissioned by his colleagues to make scientific observations of the phenomena and to publish them in a clear and methodical format. Maravigna's book opens with the diary of his own observations from 27 May to 5 August 1819; it then describes the physical consequences of the eruption, including the spread and depth of lava flows, and discusses various theories of volcanic activity. The sixth chapter analyses the mineral deposits in the lava, and the last describes the volcano returned to its dormant state.

Geological Observations on the Volcanic Islands, Visited During the Voyage of HMS Beagle
  • Together with Some Brief Notices on the Geology of Australia and the Cape of Good Hope
  • Charles Darwin
  • Published online:
    05 August 2011
    Print publication:
    02 June 2011
    First published in:
    1844
  • Charles Darwin (1809–1882) published Observations on the Volcanic Islands in 1844. It is one of three major geological works resulting from the voyage of the Beagle, and contains detailed geological descriptions of locations visited by Darwin including the Cape Verde archipelago, Mauritius, Ascension Island, St Helena, the Galápagos, and parts of Australia, New Zealand and South Africa. Chapter 6 discusses the types of lava found on different oceanic islands. There is an appendix of short contributions by two other scholars: descriptions of fossil shells from Cape Verde, St Helena and Tasmania by G. B. Sowerby and of fossil corals from Tasmania by W. Lonsdale. The book is illustrated with woodcuts, maps and sketches of specimens. It provides valuable insights into one of the most important scientific voyages ever made, and the development of Darwin's ideas on geology.

Catalogue of the Type Fossils in the Woodwardian Museum, Cambridge
  • Henry Woods
  • Published online:
    05 August 2011
    Print publication:
    31 October 2010
    First published in:
    1891
  • The collections of fossils housed in this museum, now known as the Sedgwick Museum of Earth Sciences, are of international importance. The original collection was begun in 1728, and grew rapidly. This catalogue by Henry Woods (1868–1952), a graduate of the University of Cambridge who undertook curatorial work in the museum between his graduation in 1890 and his appointment as a Demonstrator in Paleobotany in 1892, was first published in 1891. It contains the specific names, classes and orders of 558 specimens in the museum which are 'type specimens' for particular species, and was primarily intended for scholars searching for the location of those specimens. Woods also included the names of individuals who had described each specimen, the name of the collection it was in and references for the specimen. His book provides a valuable record of important fossils in the collection at the time of publication.

Palaeontology
  • A Systematic Summary of Extinct Animals and their Geological Relations
  • Richard Owen
  • Published online:
    01 June 2011
    Print publication:
    20 July 2009
    First published in:
    1860
  • Richard Owen (1804–1892) was a contemporary of Darwin, and like him, attended the University of Edinburgh medical school but left without completing his training. His career as an outstanding palaeontologist began when he was cataloguing the Hunterian Collection of human and animal anatomical specimens which had passed to the Royal College of Surgeons in London. His public lectures on anatomy were attended by Darwin, and he was entrusted with the classification and description of the fossil vertebrates sent back by Darwin from the Beagle voyage. He was responsible for coining many of the terms now used in anatomy and evolutionary biology, including the word 'dinosaur'. Palaeontology (published in 1860) defines, describes and classifies all the fossil animal forms then known, and discusses the origin of species, commenting on the theories of Buffon, Lamarck, the then anonymous author of Vestiges of Creation, Wallace and Darwin.

Letters of Alexander von Humboldt
  • Written between the Years 1827 and 1858, to Varnhagen von Ense; Together with Extracts from Varnhagen's Diaries, and Letters from Varnhagen and Others to Humboldt
  • Alexander von Humboldt
  • Published online:
    01 March 2011
    Print publication:
    20 July 2009
    First published in:
    1860
  • Ludmilla Assing, the niece of Varnhagen von Ense, was the editor of this selection of letters from Alexander von Humboldt to her uncle – to who Humboldt had entrusted the preservation of their correspondence – in the period 1827–58. First published in 1860, Letters of Alexander von Humboldt also contains letters from Varnhagen and other distinguished correspondents to Humboldt. Some passages from Varnhagen's diary are also included to supply a vivid commentary on the letters, which present detailed records of Humboldt's life, activity, and habits of thought, and contain materials of unquestionable importance for portraying an accurate picture of his mind and character. The other letters contained in the volume illustrate his worldwide circle of correspondents. This collection was published after the deaths of both Varnhagen and Humboldt. Explanatory notes and a full index of names accompany this authorised translation from the original German.

A Syllabus of a Course of Lectures on Mineralogy
  • John Stevens Henslow
  • Published online:
    01 March 2011
    Print publication:
    20 July 2009
    First published in:
    1823
  • John Stevens Henslow (1796–1861), a student of Adam Sedgwick, became Professor of Mineralogy at Cambridge in 1822. He soon moved to a chair in Botany, and became a teacher and mentor to Charles Darwin. This book on mineralogy was first published in 1823. It was intended to save time in class by providing an easily accessible reference to the composition of various minerals according to the principles of atomic theory, which was then entering the scientific mainstream. In that paradigm, analysis and examination of any mineral's composition involved first ascertaining the mineral's elementary molecules, both 'essential' and 'accidental', and second, determining the proportions in which the essential ingredients combined to form the integrant molecule of the mineral. Henslow's book will interest historians of science tracing the development of atomic theory, and those working more broadly in the history of university education and the intellectual climate of the nineteenth century.

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