228 THEORY of the EARTH. 



tion in thofe mafTes may be formed. In this cafe, therefore, 

 where the means are not naturally in the fuppofition, a philofo- 

 pher, who is to explain the phenomenon by the natural opera- 

 tion of water in this fituation, mud not have recourfe to ano- 

 ther agent, Mill more powerful, to affift his fuppofition, which 

 cannot be admitted. 



THUS, it will appear, that, to confolidate ftrata formed at 

 the bottom of the fea, in the manner now confidered, opera- 

 tions are required unnatural to this place ; confequently, not to 

 be fuppofed in order to fupport a hypothec's. 



BUT now, inftead of enquiring how far water may be fup* 

 pofed inftrumental in the confolidation of ftrata which were 

 originally of a loofe texture, we are to confider how far there 

 may be appearances in thofe confolidated bodies, by which it 

 might be concluded, whether or not the prefent ftate of their 

 confolidation has been actually brought about by means of that 

 agent. 



IF water had been the menftruum by which the confolidating 

 matter was introduced into the interftices of ftrata, mafTes of 

 thofe bodies could only be found confolidated with fuch fub- 

 ftances as water is capable of diflblving ; and thefe fubftances 

 would be foxmd only in fuch a ftate as the fimple feparation of 

 the diflblving water might produce. 



IN this cafe, the confolidation of ftrata would be extremely 

 limited ; for we cannot allow more power to water than we 

 find it has in nature j nor are we to imagine to ourfelves unli- 

 mited powers in bodies, on purpofe to explain thofe appear- 

 ances, by which we mould be made to know the powers of na- 

 ture. Let us, therefore, attend, with every poflible circum- 

 fpection, to the appearances of thofe bodies, by means of which 

 we are to inveftigate the principles of mineralogy, and know 

 the laws of nature. 



THE queftion now before us concerns the confolidating fubr 

 ftances of ftrata. Are thefe fuch as will correfpond to the dif- 



folving 



