288 THEORY of the E4RTH. 



now examine, certain means to read the annals of a former 

 earth. 



THE object of enquiry being the operations of the globe, 

 during the time that the prefent earth was forming at the bot- 

 tom of the fea, we are now to take a very general view of nature, 

 without defcending into thofe particulars which fo often occu- 

 py the Speculations of naturalifts, about the prefent ftate of 

 things. We are not at prefent to enter into any difcuffion with 

 regard to what are the primary and fecondary mountains of 

 the earth ; we are not to tonfider what is the firft, and what 

 the laft, in thofe things which now are feen j whatever is moft 

 ancient in the ftrata which we now examine, is fuppofed to be 

 Collecting at the bottom of the fea, during the period concern- 

 ing which we are now to enquire. 



WE have already confidered thofe operations which had 

 been neceflary in forming our folid land, a body confifting 

 of materials originally depofited at the bottom of the ocean ; 

 we are now to inveftigate the fource from whence had come 

 all thofe materials, from the collection of which the prefent 

 land is formed ; and from knowing the ftate in which thofe 

 materials had exifted, previoufly to their entering the compo- 

 fition of our ftrata, we fhall learn fomething concerning the 

 natural hiftory of this world, while the prefent earth was form- 

 ing in the fea. 



WE have already obferved, that all the ftrata of the earth 

 are compofed either from the calcareous relicts of fea animals, 

 or from the collection of fuch materials as we find upon our 

 mores. At a grofs computation, there may perhaps be a fourth 

 part of our folid land, which is compofed from the matter that 

 had belonged to thofe animals. Now, what a multitude of 

 living creatures, what a quantity of animal ceconomy muft 

 have been required for producing a body of calcareous matter 

 which is interfperfed throughout all the land of the globe, and 

 which certainly forms a very confiderable part of that mafs ! 



Therefore 



