296 M. B. Studer on tJie Origin of Granite. 



consideration of scientific subjects. But for this, I would 

 willingly have supplied for your Journal, not a hurried let- 

 ter but a well-considered paper, in answer to your doubts 

 concerning the origin of granite ; and the more so, as these 

 doubts, in a still greater degree, are entertained by many 

 of our colleagues. The time, in fact, seems to have arrived, 

 when the question of the origin of granite should receive a 

 full consideration, or, at all events, a discussion as to the prin- 

 ciples on which the inquiry should be conducted. While then, 

 in the mean time, I renounce every thing like profound re- 

 search, you are truly welcome to my more cursory thoughts, 

 although at the risk of a modification of my views, or an entire 

 abandonment of them, — after I have heard the objections that 

 shall be offered, and more searching and deliberate inquiry. 



Although the older notions respecting the origin of gra- 

 nite, and especially of the crystalline siliceous rocks — and 

 which regard them as mechanically formed aggregates, or 

 aqueous deposits, are for ever laid aside, a difference of 

 views may still exist as to the place in which these rocks 

 were formed, and as to their original nature. Thus, it 

 might be supposed that granite was produced by the meta- 

 morphosis .or fusion of the more ancient deposits, and that 

 its place of formation lay only in the outermost crust of 

 the earth ; — or, it may be regarded as the earliest solid crust 

 of the as yet molten globe, and so be the basis of tlie 

 oldest deposits ; — or, as you remark in your letter, it may par- 

 take of both of these origins, which, being conceded, we might 

 thus regard the more recent granites, partly as new uprisings 

 of the original and still fluid matter under the general granitic 

 crust, and partly as the transformed product of the sedimen- 

 tary deposits. But to proceed to your inquiry — whether I ac- 

 knowledge any difference between original granite and that 

 more recently formed, between granite which forms the basis 

 of the sedimentary deposits, and that produced by transfor- 

 mation, I answer, so far as mineralogical characters are con- 

 cerned, most decidedly not. I am well aware that there are 

 keen partisans of the theory of metamorphosis who pretend 

 that they can distinguish, by hand specimens alone, between 



