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Home > Dictionary of Science Quotations > Scientist Names Index L > Charles Lapworth Quotes

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Charles Lapworth
(30 Sep 1842 - 13 Mar 1920)

English geologist who proposed (1879) a new classification of Lower Paleozoic rocks, adding the Ordovician between the Cambrian and the Silurian periods.


Science Quotes by Charles Lapworth (10 quotes)

All that comes above that surface [of the globe] lies within the province of Geography. All that comes below that surface lies inside the realm of Geology. The surface of the earth is that which, so to speak, divides them and at the same time “binds them together in indissoluble union.” We may, perhaps, put the case metaphorically. The relationships of the two are rather like that of man and wife. Geography, like a prudent woman, has followed the sage advice of Shakespeare and taken unto her “an elder than herself;” but she does not trespass on the domain of her consort, nor could she possibly maintain the respect of her children were she to flaunt before the world the assertion that she is “a woman with a past.”
— Charles Lapworth
From Anniversary Address to Geological Society of London (20 Feb 1903), 'The Relations of Geology', published in Quarterly Journal of the Geological Society of London (22 May 1903), 59, Part 2, lxxviii. As reprinted in Annual Report of the Board of Regents of the Smithsonian Institution (1904), 373.
Science quotes on:  |  Advice (57)  |  Children (201)  |  Divide (77)  |  Domain (72)  |  Earth (1076)  |  Elder (9)  |  Follow (389)  |  Geography (39)  |  Geology (240)  |  Lie (370)  |  Maintain (105)  |  Man (2252)  |  Metaphor (37)  |  Past (355)  |  Possibly (111)  |  Province (37)  |  Realm (87)  |  Relationship (114)  |  Respect (212)  |  Sage (25)  |  William Shakespeare (109)  |  Speak (240)  |  Surface (223)  |  Surface Of The Earth (36)  |  Time (1911)  |  Together (392)  |  Trespass (5)  |  Two (936)  |  Union (52)  |  Wife (41)  |  Woman (160)  |  World (1850)

Astronomy concerns itself with the whole of the visible universe, of which our earth forms but a relatively insignificant part; while Geology deals with that earth regarded as an individual. Astronomy is the oldest of the sciences, while Geology is one of the newest. But the two sciences have this in common, that to both are granted a magnificence of outlook, and an immensity of grasp denied to all the rest.
— Charles Lapworth
Proceedings of the Geological Society of London (1903), 59, lxviii.
Science quotes on:  |  Astronomy (251)  |  Both (496)  |  Common (447)  |  Concern (239)  |  Deal (192)  |  Earth (1076)  |  Form (976)  |  Geology (240)  |  Grant (76)  |  Immensity (30)  |  Individual (420)  |  Insignificant (33)  |  Magnificence (14)  |  Outlook (32)  |  Regard (312)  |  Rest (287)  |  Two (936)  |  Universe (900)  |  Visible (87)  |  Whole (756)

Darwin was a biological evolutionist, because he was first a uniformitarian geologist. Biology is pre-eminent to-day among the natural sciences, because its younger sister, Geology, gave it the means.
— Charles Lapworth
Presidential Address to the Geology Section, Report of the British Association for the Advancement of Science (1892), 696.
Science quotes on:  |  Biological (137)  |  Biology (232)  |  Charles Darwin (322)  |  Evolution (635)  |  First (1302)  |  Geologist (82)  |  Geology (240)  |  Mean (810)  |  Means (587)  |  Natural (810)  |  Natural Science (133)  |  Uniformitarian (4)  |  Younger (21)

Far be it from me to suggest that geologists should be reckless in their drafts upon the bank of Time; but nothing whatever is gained, and very much is lost, by persistent niggardliness in this direction.
— Charles Lapworth
Proceedings of the Geological Society of London (1903), 59, lxxii.
Science quotes on:  |  Bank (31)  |  Direction (185)  |  Draft (6)  |  Gain (146)  |  Geologist (82)  |  Loss (117)  |  Nothing (1000)  |  Persistent (18)  |  Reckless (6)  |  Suggestion (49)  |  Time (1911)  |  Whatever (234)

It is as true now, as it was in the days when Werner first drew his far-reaching inferences before his charmed listeners, that on the characteristic phenomena and varying distribution of the grand mineral masses of the rock-formations, almost all that concerns the relative habitability of a land depends.
— Charles Lapworth
In 'The Relations of Geology', Scottish Geographical Magazine (Aug 1902), 19, No. 8, 409.
Science quotes on:  |  Characteristic (154)  |  Charm (54)  |  Concern (239)  |  Depend (238)  |  Distribution (51)  |  First (1302)  |  Formation (100)  |  Inference (45)  |  Land (131)  |  Listener (7)  |  Mineral (66)  |  Phenomenon (334)  |  Relative (42)  |  Rock (176)  |  True (239)  |  Abraham Werner (5)

Nothing perhaps has so retarded the reception of the higher conclusions of Geology among men in general, as ... [the] instinctive parsimony of the human mind in matters where time is concerned.
— Charles Lapworth
Proceedings of the Geological Society of London (1903), 59, lxx.
Science quotes on:  |  Concern (239)  |  Conclusion (266)  |  General (521)  |  Geology (240)  |  Human (1512)  |  Human Mind (133)  |  Matter (821)  |  Mind (1377)  |  Nothing (1000)  |  Reception (16)  |  Retardation (5)  |  Time (1911)

The course of the line we indicated as forming our grandest terrestrial fold [along the shores of Japan] returns upon itself. It is an endless fold, an endless band, the common possession of two sciences. It is geological in origin, geographical in effect. It is the wedding ring of geology and geography, uniting them at once and for ever in indissoluble union.
— Charles Lapworth
Presidential Address to the Geology Section, Report of the British Association for the Advancement of Science (1892), 705.
Science quotes on:  |  Common (447)  |  Course (413)  |  Effect (414)  |  Endless (60)  |  Fold (9)  |  Forming (42)  |  Geography (39)  |  Geology (240)  |  Grandest (10)  |  Line (100)  |  Origin (250)  |  Possession (68)  |  Return (133)  |  Terrestrial (62)  |  Two (936)  |  Union (52)  |  Wedding (7)

The geologist, who is blest with an assured conviction of the immensity of geological time, moves with an ease and freedom from cause to effect wholly denied to those wanting in this conviction.
— Charles Lapworth
In 'The Relations of Geology', Scottish Geographical Magazine (Aug 1902), 19, No. 8, 398.
Science quotes on:  |  Assured (4)  |  Blessing (26)  |  Cause (561)  |  Conviction (100)  |  Effect (414)  |  Freedom (145)  |  Geologic Time (2)  |  Geologist (82)  |  Immensity (30)  |  Move (223)  |  Time (1911)  |  Want (504)  |  Wholly (88)

The world over which early man wandered was to him the theatre of a never-ending conflict, in which were arrayed against him impassable seas, unscalable mountains, gloomy forests peopled by deadly beasts of prey, raging streams and foaming torrents, each and all the haunts of spirits luring him to doom.
— Charles Lapworth
In 'The Relations of Geology', Scottish Geographical Magazine (Aug 1902), 19, No. 8, 395-396.
Science quotes on:  |  Against (332)  |  Beast (58)  |  Conflict (77)  |  Deadly (21)  |  Doom (34)  |  Early (196)  |  Foam (3)  |  Forest (161)  |  Gloomy (4)  |  Haunt (6)  |  Lure (9)  |  Man (2252)  |  Mountain (202)  |  Never (1089)  |  Never-Ending (3)  |  Prey (13)  |  Raging (2)  |  Sea (326)  |  Spirit (278)  |  Stream (83)  |  Theatre (5)  |  Torrent (5)  |  Wander (44)  |  World (1850)

Charles Lapworth quote: Uniformity and Evolution are one.
Uniformity and Evolution are one.
— Charles Lapworth
Presidential Address to the Geology Section, Report of the British Association for the Advancement of Science (1892), 707.
Science quotes on:  |  Evolution (635)  |  Uniformity (38)


See also:
  • 30 Sep - short biography, births, deaths and events on date of Lapworth's birth.

Carl Sagan Thumbnail In science it often happens that scientists say, 'You know that's a really good argument; my position is mistaken,' and then they would actually change their minds and you never hear that old view from them again. They really do it. It doesn't happen as often as it should, because scientists are human and change is sometimes painful. But it happens every day. I cannot recall the last time something like that happened in politics or religion. (1987) -- Carl Sagan
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