to say,most of time. In 1802, five years after ton’s deation of ttonian principles, entitled Illustrations of ttonian tefully received by took an active interest in geology,,  to change. And how.

    In ter of 1807, teen like-minded souls in London got toget tavern at Long Acre, in Covent Garden, to form a dining club to be called ty. to meet once a monto sions over a glass or t at a deliberately y fifteenso discourage tions  soon becameapparent,  titutional,  ers, lemen, of course—and tening to eclipse tific society in try.

    t til June,  off to spend t people erestin minerals, you understand, or even academics for t part, but simply gentlemen ime to indulge a  a more or less professional level. By 1830, the like again.

    It is o imagine no geology excited teentury—positively grippedit—in a  no science ever em, a plump and ponderous study of a type of rockcalled grey ant bestseller, racing tions, even t costeigrue tonian style, unreadable. (As even a Murcer conceded, it otal  of literary attractiveness.”) And o America to give a series of lectures in Boston, selloutaudiences of t a time packed into titute to ranquilizingdescriptions of marine zeolites and seismic perturbations in Campania.

    t t especially in Britain, men of learning venturedinto tryside to do a little “stone-breaking,” as t. It  takenseriously, and tended to dress e gravity, in top s and dark suits, exceptfor t it o do his fieldwork in anacademic gown.

    ttracted many extraordinary f