“ He showed that the rocks of the earth are not disposed at random, but follow each other in a certain definite order. Unfortunately he had never enlarged his experience by travel, and the sequence of rock-masses which he had recognized in Saxony was believed by him to be of universal application (see his Kurze Klassifikation und Beschreibung der verschiedenen Gebirgsarten, 1787) . He taught that the rocks were the precipitates of a primeval ocean, and followed each other in successive deposits of world-wide extent. ”

“ At the age of nine he was sent to school at Bunzlau in Silesia, where he remained until 1764, when he joined his father at Wehrau with the idea of ultimately succeeding him in the post of inspector. When nineteen years of age (1769) he journeyed to Freiberg, where he attracted the notice of the officials, who invited him to attend the mining school established two years previously. This was the turning point in Werner’s career. He soon distinguished himself by his industry and by the large amount of practical knowledge of mineralogy which he acquired. ”