Two cabinets of stones and fossils gave evidence of his zealous travels about the British isles; he had even written a little hand-book of petrology which was for sale at certain booksellers' in Twybridge, and probably nowhere else.

To him, about this time, Godwin began to resort, always sure of a welcome; and in the little uncarpeted room where Mr.Gunnery pursued his investigations many a fateful lesson was given and received.

The teacher understood the intelligence he had to deal with, and was delighted to convey, by the mode of suggested inference, sundry results of knowledge which it perhaps would not have been prudent to declare in plain, popular words.
Their intercourse was not invariably placid.

The geologist had an irritable temper, and in certain states of the atmosphere his rheumatic twinges made it advisable to shun argument with him.

Godwin, moreover, was distinguished by an instability of mood peculiarly trying to an old man's testy humour.