My Dear Sir,

My friend Mr Robertson of Inverugie House¹ is anxious to become a member of the geological society, and has asked me to propose him; and I have much pleasure in doing so for one who prosecutes the science with so much zeal. It is no small advantage to have a friend in this retired corner, who buys and lends all the best geological works published in England, and in Germany and France, and I therefore hope that you will put your name to the enclosed certificate—as he would like your name to be given, being an ardent admirer of yours, and adheres to all your conclusions regarding gradual elevation, at home and abroad. He has already made some interesting observations on the great drift, raised beaches and submarine peat of this province. I have asked Mr Murchison to be the third person, and if necessary Lonsdale will add his name, I am sure, as he proposed to give his name to an ammonite discovered and ascertained to be new by Mr R, from the Lias fragments still existing here.² He will for the present be a non-resident member.

I have to thank you for your most interesting paper on Glen Roy, which I read with great interest,³ and but for my hurried departure from this country⁴ I should have sent you a few remarks—altho’ of no value. I was forced out of that country by bad weather even for the west. It is only a few days since I got it, and that evening Mr Stables Junior of Cawdor Castle,⁵ who has wandered over much of Scotland and is a good botanist, and knows something of geology, was with me, and the conversation turned on your theory, which he was quite inclined to admit, (he has not seen the roads) having seen similar appearances along the steep shores of Loch Carron which enters deeply into the west coast of Ross-shire—and near Dingwal on the east, where he describes single lines almost 60 feet broad, as passing round the Ord Hill, and along the sides of the valley W. of the Strath Peffer Spa. That in Loch Carron he drew, without looking at your woodcut, as if he had made a copy

Had I had leasure when the days get longer I should certainly have gone and seen this. Pray keep it in view.—

I am at a loss to say how important I think the theory to be, and I feel very desirous to see it put beyond dispute. The explanation of the non-occurrence of sea shells is not satisfactory to my mind, as I saw great banks of diluvial clay that would preserve shells for ever. No person here entertains a doubt of the great drift that covers so much of these counties being marine, and none but D^r. Fleming, (who fancies a great European lake bursting its barriers at different times)⁶ ascribes it to any thing but the slow action of the sea—as there are every where alternations of sand and gravel. The sand is known to all who work in cements to be sea sand. Everywhere along the eastern coast a series of terraces can be traced far above the common line of raised beaches—these are well seen both north and south of Aberdeen and along the shores of the Moray frith. Sometimes they occur near rivers, when some doubt may arise as to their origin, yet even there as the gravel of which they are formed is composed of the same materials, and similarly stratified I generally can ascertain their oceanic origin.

This great drift extends far up the valley of the Dee—and also of the Spey. Strathspey is full of gravel, often forming flat hills all of the same height and arranged as if by currents from the west their long diameter being E & W. I took much interest in tracing it in the Deep valleys at the foot of the Cairngorm, as it seemed to afford both there and on the Findhorn the natural soil of the native pine forests—such as those of Rothemurcus, Abernethy,⁷ Dulsie &c

If you ever visit this country I much wish you would accompany Mr Gordon Minister of Birnie and examine the terraces on the side of the vale of Rothes, which opens from that of the Spey near Elgin, & has given passage to many boulders.⁸

I expect to leave this for London next week & probably will sail by the Ireland packet of Feb^y. or March.