On the Evidence of the Former Existence of Glaciers in Great Britain

Abstract

Since the visit of Professor Agassiz to the meeting of the British Association, which was held at Glasgow, in September, 1840, a considerable degree of attention has been given by geologists to what has been called the Glacial Theory, or, in other words, to the study of the phenomena of existing Glaciers, and an examination of the reasoning of Professor Agassiz and others, by which it has been endeavoured to prove that the action of ice, on a scale of enormous magnitude, was an important means of effecting many geological results, which have hitherto been without any obvious explanation. This subject has received much attention from continental geologists, and has been admirably illustrated by the “Studies of Glaciers,” published by Agassiz, in 1841; several papers have been read at meetings of the Geological Society of London; and the able reports of these, and of the proceedings of the British Association, together with reviews of Agassiz’s work, and the popular character of his descriptions, have tended to familiarise the English public with a subject, which, two years ago, was considered in this country as a startling novelty. The object of the present paper is to present a concise view of such leading features of what, for the sake of brevity, may be conveniently termed the Glacial Theory, as may be interesting to those who have not devoted much attention to the subject; to notice the researches which have been made with reference to the former existence of glaciers in Great Britain ...