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PREFACE

ΤΟ

THE FOURTH EDITION.

THIS book was written by the late SIR CHARLES LYELL in order to meet the requirements of those students who are entirely ignorant of the science of Geology.

The work contained those parts of Sir CHARLES LYELL'S celebrated book, The Elements of Geology,' which were the most indispensable to a beginner, and was published in 1871. It was subsequently revised by SIR CHARLES LYELL in 1874, and he availed himself of the assistance of Messrs. Etheridge, Searles Wood, David Forbes, Professor Judd, and the Rev. Professor Bonney.

A Third Edition was published in 1878, and it was the result of careful correction and revision on the part of Mr. Leonard Lyell, assisted by Professor Judd and Mr. Etheridge, sen.

The utility of the book has been proved by the necessity of producing these successive editions, and, when the work went out of print some years since, a very great want was felt by students and teachers.

The present revised edition contains the results of the more important geological investigations which have taken place since the appearance of the last edition, but the

original plan and character of the book are preserved. I have availed myself of the works of the distinguished geologists whose names have been mentioned above, and also of the writings of Professor A. Geikie, Director of the Geological Survey of the United Kingdom; of Professor Prestwich, of Oxford; and Professor T. McKenny Hughes, of Cambridge. It has been a most pleasing task to follow the thoughts and to continue in the method of the great man to whom the science of Geology is so greatly indebted, and I sincerely hope that these pages may be as useful as those of the original book.

P. MARTIN DUNCAN.

1884.

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