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Poet's
Corner
Song of a Geologist
by Robert Dick
Song of a Geologist
Hammers an’ chisels an’ a’,
Chisels an’ fossils an’ a’;
Sir Rory’s the boy o’ the right sort o’ stuff,
Hurrah! for the hammers sae braw.
It’s good to be breakin’ a stone,
The work now is lucky an’ braw;
It’s grand to be findin’ a bone—
A fish-bone the grandest of a’.
Hammers an’ chisels an’ a’,
Chisels an’ fossils an’ a’;
Resurrection’s our trade; by raising the dead
We’ve grandeur an’ honour an’ a’.
May labour be crown’d wi’ success—
May prudence promulgate the story—
May scoffers grow every day less,
Till the rocks are a mountain o’ glory.
Hammers an’ chisels an’ a’,
Chisels an’ fossils an’ a’;
The deeper we go, the more we shall know
Of the past an’ the recent an’ a’.
Here’s freedom to dig and to learn—
Here’s freedom to think an’ to speak;
There’s nane ever grumbled to look at a stone,
Aye but creatures ’baith stupid an’ weak.
Hammers an’ chisels an’ a’,
Chisels an’ fossils an’ a’;
In spite of the devil we’ll dig as we’re able—
Hurrah! for the hammers sae braw.
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The poem in this issue of The Edinburgh Geologist was sent to us by Gareth Peach, the great grandson of Charles William Peach. gareth was commenting upon the article by Michael Taylor in issue of The Edinburgh Geologist of Autumn 2002...
The Royal Physical Society of Edinburgh seems to have been where Auld Reekie’s scientists met most easily - people such as Hugh Miller, Charles Peach, and Edward Forbes, and youngsters such as Archibald Geikie. Chambers’s Presidential address in November 1856 stressed the importance of the Society as a place to encourage learners and novices, and the exclusion of selfish and controversial motives (Chambers [1857], p. 175):
... I consider myself here chiefly in the capacity of a learner. I come here because I love science, and, from sympathy, like to be among its cultivators; also with the view of communicating any novelty in nature that may occur to my observation; but even in a greater degree, because I feel myself to be but slightly informed on most subjects, and wish to be more largely and more accurately informed on all.
I should have liked to be the proverbial fly on the wall!
Gareth suggested that Mike’s attention should be drawn to the existence of the Red Lion Club. This was established in November 1844 as an offshoot of the British Association for the Advancement of Science and met to discuss science, literature and art. The Club’s membership was restricted to twelve and Sir Roderick Murchison was amongst their number. In his travels to the north of Scotland, Sir Roderick and Charles Peach met Robert Dick, a ‘baker of Thurso’, and a geologist and botanist. Dick was a great fossil hunter and collector and wrote extensively on the fossil fish in the Old Red Sandstone.
The verses opposite were sent by Robert Dick to Charles Peach and were later published in the John o’Groats Journal. It is said that ‘these verses so pleased Sir Roderick and the eminent band of geologists belonging to the Red Lion Club that they were inserted into their records and sung at their annual meetings.’
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