and their Relation to the modern System Of Geology, 41 



Tamworth, and some others in the red marl, assume precisely 

 the same insulated character ; but the systematist affirms that 

 these anomalous masses are peculiar to the red marl. Since, 

 however, he attributes them to igneous causes, whose bounds 

 no lines of demarcation can prescribe, whose power and 

 universality no mortal dare presume to dispute, may we not 

 reasonably infer that immense stratified masses have been 

 subjected to the same mighty causes, not only throughout the 

 whole of this kingdom, but in the remotest regions of the 

 globe? So recently as the 9 th of November, 1822, an earth- 

 quake happened in Chile, South America, which furnishes an 

 amazing example of the extensive effects of the tremendous 

 explosive powers by whose agency such awful catastrophes 

 are operated. Mrs. Graham, who was an eye-witness of the 

 above, relates that, " on the morning of the 20th, it appeared 

 that the whole coast, from north to south, to the distance of 

 above one hundred miles, had been raised above its former 

 level ; at Valparaiso, the alteration of level was about three 

 feet, and at Quintero about four feet. She found good reason 

 to believe that the coast had been raised by earthquakes, at 

 former periods, in a similar manner ; several ancient lines of 

 beach, consisting of shingle mixed with shell, extending, in a 

 parallel direction to the shore, to the height of fifty feet above 

 the sea." These phenomena may be regarded as of frequent 

 occurrence in the formations of all ages, and as indicating the 

 most effective of the numerous disturbing causes by which the 

 earth's surface has been affected. 



I am prepared to show the igneous effects of these revolu- 

 tionising catastrophes in the vicinity of Billesdon Coplow. At 

 an apparent fault, which intersects the southern extremity of 

 the Coplow basin, where many of its deep measures are pro- 

 miscuously thrown up, are found large masses of fused mat- 

 ter, muscle shells, coal, and oyster shells, in conglomerated 

 masses ; fragments of fir trees, partly carbonised and striated 

 with sulphur; all evidently having been subjected to the 

 powerful action of fusible heat. From what I have adduced 

 respecting the universality of lands uplifted by subterranean 

 convulsions, and from the signs of these convulsions having at 

 some remote period exercised their powerful and mystical 

 effects in this district also, is it not reasonable to infer that im- 

 mense anomalous masses are as likely to expand their denu- 

 dated bosoms in the centre of the lias marls, oolitic, or other 

 ranges, as they are well known to do within the limits of the 

 red marl ? However, there can be no necessity for resorting 

 to such violent hypothesis, as the instances we have quoted 

 are sufficiently in point to warrant fully (with a full and un- 



