276 THEORY of the EARtH. 



Now, the eruption of that elaftic force through the bottom 

 of the fea, may be confidered as a wafte of power in the opera- 

 tions of the globe, where the elevation of indurated (Irata is an 

 object in the exertion of that power j whereas, in the centre 

 of a continent fufficiently elevated above the level of the fea, 

 the eruption of that fiery vapour calculated to elevate the land, 

 while it may occafionally deflroy the habitations of a few, pro- 

 vides for the fecurity and quiet pofleffion of the many. 



IN order to fee the wifdom of this contrivance, let us confi- 

 der the two extreme places at which this eruption of ignited 

 matter may be performed. Thefe are, on the one hand, with- 

 in a continent of land, and, on the other, at the bottom of 

 the ocean. In the one cafe, the free eruption of the expanding 

 power fhould be permitted > becaufe the purpofe for which it 

 had been calculated to exift, has been accomplifhed. In the 

 other, again, the free eruption of that powerful matter fhould 

 be reprefled j becaufe there is referved for that power much of 

 another operation in that place. But, according to the wife con- 

 ftitution of things, this muft necefTarily happen. The erup- 

 tion of the fiery vapour from volcanos on the continent or land, 

 is interrupted only occafionally, by the melted bodies flowing 

 in the fubterraneous chimney ; whereas, at the bottom of the 

 ocean, the contact of the water necefTarily tends to clofe the 

 orifice, by accumulating condenfed matter upon the weakeft 

 place. 



IF this be a juft theory of the natural operations of the 

 globe, we mail have reafon to expect, that great quantities of 

 this melted matter or fufible fubftance may be found in form 

 of lava, among the ftrata of tke earth, where there are no vi- 

 fible marks of any volcano, or burning mountain, having exifl- 

 eft. Here, therefore, is an important point to be determined ; 

 for, if it fhall appear, that much of this melted matter, analo- 

 gous to lava, has been forced to flow among the ftrata which 

 had been formed at the bottom of the fea, and now are found 



forming 



