Principles of Geology

Principles of Geology

The Principles of Geology in the first five editions embraced not only a view of the _modern changes_ of the earth and its inhabitants, as set forth in the present work, but also some account of those monuments of analogous changes of _ancient_ date, both in the organic and inorganic world, which it is the business of the geologist to interpret. The subject last mentioned, or "geology proper," constituted originally a fourth book, now omitted, the same having been enlarged into a separate treatise, first published in 1838, in one volume 12mo., and called "The Elements of Geology," afterwards recast in two volumes 12mo. in 1842, and again re-edited under the title of "Manual of Elementary Geology," in one volume 8vo. in 1851. The "Principles" and "Manual" thus divided, occupy, with one exception, to which I shall presently allude, very different ground. The "Principles" treat of such portions of the economy of existing nature, animate and inanimate, as are illustrative of Geology, so as to comprise an investigation of the permanent effects of causes now in action, which may serve as records to after ages of the present condition of the globe and its inhabitants. Such effects are the enduring monuments of the ever-varying state of the physical geography of the globe, the lasting signs of its destruction and renovation, and the memorials of the equally fluctuating condition of the organic world. They may be regarded, in short, as a symbolical language, in which the earth's autobiography is written.

In the "Manual of Elementary Geology," on the other hand, I have treated briefly of the component materials of the earth's crust, their arrangement and relative position, and their organic contents, which, when deciphered by aid of the key supplied by the study of the modern changes above alluded to, reveal to us the annals of a grand succession of past events--a series of revolutions which the solid exterior of the globe, and its living inhabitants, have experienced in times antecedent to the creation of man.

In thus separating the two works, however, I have retained in the "Principles" (book i.) the discussion of some matters which might fairly be regarded as common to both treatises; as for example, an historical sketch of the early progress of geology, followed by a series of preliminary essays to explain the facts and arguments which lead me to believe that the forces now operating upon and beneath the earth's surface may be the same, both in kind and degree, as those which at remote epochs have worked out geological changes. (See Analysis of Contents of this work, p. ix.)

If I am asked whether the "Principles" or the "Manual" should be studied first, I feel much the same difficulty in answering the question as if a student should inquire whether he ought to take up first a treatise on Chemistry, or one on Natural Philosophy, subjects sufficiently distinct, yet inseparably connected. On the whole, while I have endeavored to make each of the two treatises, in their present form, quite independent of the other, I would recommend the reader to study first the modern changes of the earth and its inhabitants as they are discussed in the present volume, proceeding afterwards to the classification and interpretation of the monuments of more remote ages.

CHARLES LYELL.

_11 Harley Street, London_, May 24, 1853.

_Dates of the successive Editions of the "Principles" and "Elements" (or Manual) of Geology, by the Author._

Principles, 1st vol. in octvo, published in Jan. 1830. ----------, 2d vol. do. do. Jan. 1832. ----------, 1st vol. 2d edition in octavo 1832. ----------, 2d vol. 2d edition do. Jan. 1833. ----------, 3d vol. 1st edition do. May, 1833. ----------, New edition (called the 3d) of the whole work in 4 vols. 12mo May, 1834. ----------, 4th edition, 4 vols. 12mo June, 1835. ----------, 5th do. do. do. Mar. 1837. Elements, 1st edition in one vol July, 1838. Principles, 6th do. 3 vols. 12mo June, 1840. Elements, 2d edition in 2 vols. 12mo July, 1841. Principles, 7th edition in one vol. 8vo Feb. 1847. ----------, 8th edition in one vol. 8vo May, 1850. Manual of Elementary Geology (or "Elements," 3d edition) in one vol. 8vo Jan. 1851. Manual, 4th edition, one vol. 8vo Jan. 1852. Principles, 9th edition, now published in one vol. 8vo June, 1853.

BOOK I.