Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1841-1853, 1845-06-26
The GIFT of The Gnh.

! The following amusing article has been going the
grounds of the London papers, and it presents a laugh
able anecdote at the expense of two well known geol-
5ogists, DR.. Buckland and Mr.. George Stephenson:
] ''Once upon a time, at a gathering of fine spirits at
4 Drayton Manor, DR.. Buckland, Sir William Follett,
sand Mr.. George Stephenson were among the guests
s~assembled. The immortal railway engineer is re-
smarkable for peculiar notions on disputable points in
various sciences. For instance, he knows by the eff
feet of electricity on a rail whether the road pays or
mot; and, as he has gone rs deep as most men into
.the bowels of the land, he rejects theories alike of
4 Werner and Hutton-the advocate of water and the
advocate of fre-and announces his own views with
so much original vlgor that they at once startle and
samuse. Sir Robert having the leading professor of
geology at the same table with the expounder of new
motions ON qualification, contrived to bring them into
intellectual collision. Mr.. Stephenson disputed the
facts of formations as alleged, and DR.. Buckland de-
kfended them and he com5atted the arguments of his
Opponent with such happy fuency and ready refer
fence, that he crushed his adversary with as much
apparent power as one of the engineers own locomo-
stives would an obtruding rabbit, when the engine was
going at the rate of forty miles an hour. Mr.. Ste
phenson felt that he was worsted, not defeated but,
sbeing pleasantly and politely chafed, the efforts he
smade to recover his position only served to aggravate
the pains of his wounds. Although it was only a
Friendly controversy, he was considerably irritated and
he slept but very little that night.
4 II ii Cdiig up e ulOluihS anu SOuEub W NVOl
his temper In the spacious garden at Drayton Manor
He had not taken many turns on the silica when Sir
William Follett made his appearance. His first sal
g%utation was, George, you made a pretty fool of your
fself last night" 81 have a strong suspicion of that
kind myself, Sir William" replied Mr.. Stephenson,
s'but | am convinced that l am right after ALL" ''To
be sure you were, said Sir William. ''but you cannot
stalk. | never heard such a bungler. You were full
sof facts-wonderful facts and auckland had only
s~sophistry to oppose you. He beat you to a stand still
because you had no rhetoric 81 am, Sir William,
inc lawyer" 'But l am. Come, sit down in this
salcove and now, before we are called breakfast, re-
peat to me your whole theory" MIR. Stephenson did
Jas Sir William desired. He went through the pro-
scess of fire and water, the operations of electricity,
the nature of salts, the position of strata. "That will
do" said Sir William. ''Now at dinner to day hold
your tongue; leave Buckland to me-" After dinner,
DR.. Buckland, excited by his triumph of the preceding
evening, soon introduced mineralogy. Sir William,
in his quiet, gentle way, drew him into II controversy,
sclosed upon him, out-talked him, and Frustrated the
professor as efectually as the professor had over
Thrown the engineer the evening before. Sir Robert
senloyed the encounter no one was dlspleased and
Jas they rose to retire, Sir William whispered,
s"George, what do you think now % ''Think !" re-
piled Mr.. Stephenson, 81 think that there is nothing
lin earth or on IT like the gift of the gab."