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SMITH, William (1769-1830). A Delineation of the Strata of England and Wales, with part of Scotland. London: John Cary, 1 August, 1815. Large rolled hand-coloured engraved map (2320 x 1830 mm), to the scale of 5 miles to one inch, varnished and laid down on (?later) linen, the head of the map attached to a later tube, the base terminating in a later ebonised-wooden batten (lacking one finial), the map SIGNED AND NUMBERED BY THE AUTHOR 'Wm. Smith b25'. (Worn and defective at head, missing approx. 180 x 1250mm from top right-hand corner severely affecting title and portion of Scotland, the whole with seven major horizontal creases with associated cracking and losses with parts of the paper lifting, dampstaining to western edge affecting Ireland and the geological key, the varnish discoloured and browned and lightly abraded in places.)
THE FIRST PRINTED LARGE-SCALE GEOLOGICAL MAP OF ANY COUNTRY. The present work is the triumphant culmination of Smith's recognition, and major contribution to the science of geology, that each individual stratum can be identified by its unique fossil record. It was this theory that enabled Smith to accurately predict, and therefore map, the varying geological outcrops throughout the country. Indeed, the accuracy of his great map is quite outstanding and modern versions have only relatively minor modifications. Based entirely on Smith's own discoveries, the map covers approximately 65,000 square miles and is a cartographical tour de force.
The 'b' series of Smith's maps correspond to Eyles' fourth issue, probably completed by February 1816. J. Eyles 'William Smith... a bibliography,' in J. Soc. Biblphy nat. Hist. (1969) 5 (2): 87-109 (her no. 12); Challinor 76; Grolier/Horblit 94; PMM 274; Tooley, Maps and Mapmakers, p.58.
THE FIRST PRINTED LARGE-SCALE GEOLOGICAL MAP OF ANY COUNTRY. The present work is the triumphant culmination of Smith's recognition, and major contribution to the science of geology, that each individual stratum can be identified by its unique fossil record. It was this theory that enabled Smith to accurately predict, and therefore map, the varying geological outcrops throughout the country. Indeed, the accuracy of his great map is quite outstanding and modern versions have only relatively minor modifications. Based entirely on Smith's own discoveries, the map covers approximately 65,000 square miles and is a cartographical tour de force.
The 'b' series of Smith's maps correspond to Eyles' fourth issue, probably completed by February 1816. J. Eyles 'William Smith... a bibliography,' in J. Soc. Biblphy nat. Hist. (1969) 5 (2): 87-109 (her no. 12); Challinor 76; Grolier/Horblit 94; PMM 274; Tooley, Maps and Mapmakers, p.58.