Illustration of Drift Theory, a geological theory used to explain the formation of coal deposits. The figure illustrates how sediments including shale, limestone, sandstone, and coal travel from different directions to convene at point "A."

This figure is from, The playbook of metals, an informative and entertaining volume on all aspects of the history, mining, smelting, and metallurgy of the metals then known. The author, John Henry Pepper (1821-1900), was an analytical chemist and professor of chemistry at the Royal Polytechnic, London. Nearly 300 engravings illustrate the text, which includes chapters on coal, coal mines, and the art of alchemy, as well as individual metals and their combinations.