M. Keilhau's Theory of Granite^ and other Rocks. 89 



places. I cannot sufficiently recommend the study of them in 

 nature herself; for I am convinced that every person who finds 

 the present account of them correct, will escape what, in my 

 opinion, is the great error, of considering all mountain-rocks 

 termed abnormal formations without distinction, as volcanic 

 (Plutonian), •/. e. masses, which were once erupted from the in- 

 terior in a fluid state to'the places in which they are now found. 

 Thus far advanced in our investigations, we must now pre- 

 pare ourselves to answer the question. What is the origin of 

 these massive rocks of which we have been treating ? since we 

 are not able, at least generally, to adopt even that one of*- 

 the two prevailing theories, which seemed to be capable of ex- 

 plaining the greatest number of our facts. Are there any 

 less commonly acknowledged views on the subject of which we 

 might avail ourselves, or are we perhaps under the necessity 

 of striking out for ourselves an entirely new path ? It really 

 appears to me that we are in the last of these situations. Of 

 all the hypotheses hitherto proposed with any degree of dis- 

 tinctness regarding the origin of the unstratified rocks, I know 

 only one which claims our attention in seeking for a theory of 

 the granites, porphyries, &c. of the Christiania territory — it is 

 that of Keferstein.* We shall afterwards have occasion to give 

 a full account of this, but at present it is sufficient for us to 

 know that Keferstein considers the massive rocks as the result 

 of a spontaneous vulcanisation of certain portions of the Nep- 

 tunian rocks, which being in a state of fermentation at parti- 

 cular points, were heated to fusion, or in general were brought 

 to a condition for crystallizing, in consequence of which they 

 occupied a larger space, and were upraised, &c. I treat the 

 whole conception with respect; but Keferstein has done ho- 

 mage to the spirit of the times, and in spite of his heresy, he 

 seems to wish to be classed among the vulcanists. These last, 

 however, stoutly disavow him, at least they will never forgive 

 his unlucky observations on fermentation. For our own part, 

 we really lament that we cannot form an alliance with this geo- 

 logist. As our reason for this, it will be enough here to state, 



* A full exposition of M. Keferstein's curious views will be found in his 

 work entitled *' Die Naturgeschichte des Erdkorpers nach ihren ersten Grund- 

 xugen." 2 vols. 1834 Edit. 



