98 M. Keilbau's Theory of Granite, and other Rocks, 



this position, — "That one of the hitherto known forms 



OF AGGREGATION IN WHICH FLUID BODIES EXIST, DID NOT NE- 

 CESSARILY PRECEDE THE FORMATION OR TRANSFORMATION OF 

 BODIES ; BUT THAT, ON THE CONTRARY, THE COMPACT FORM DID 

 NOT PREVENT MOVEMENTS IN THE SUBSTANCE." I sliewed 



*' the possibility that in the solid portions of the globe very essen- 

 tial changes, in consequence of the moveableness of the particles 

 of solid bodies, may have taken place, and still continue to take 

 place." " And," I added, " can any one be afraid in this case, to 

 form the conclusion that such an action is possible!" There is 

 much in modern geology which shews us that we must abandon 

 the unauthorized supposition ^Hhat the parts of mountain-masses, 

 with respect to their specific constitution^ and the position they now 

 occupy, are every where the same as at the moment, when, at a for- 

 mer time, they or their materials were produced from a gaseous or 

 melted condition, or from solution in a Neptunian menstruum^ 

 But we still find that this belief is adhered to ; and it is only 

 by casting off such ideas that we may hope for " some light 

 being perhaps thrown on the origin of so many singular ar- 

 rangements of rock-formations, which, by the assumption of an 

 absolutely inactive state of the solid portions of the globe, can- 

 not be at all understood." I also stated it as my opinion, that 

 *' a multitude of mineral products whose formation has in a 

 very forced manner been attributed to infiltrations or subli- 

 mations, will prove to be the result of long continued processes 

 in the compact stony mass." A continued study has more and 

 more strengthened these earlier views : I regar*^ them as the 

 foundations of the whole of geology ; and they Ar^ strongly 

 confirmed not only by the consideration of the mineral masses 

 existing on the great scale as the component parts of moun- 

 tains, but also by the investigation of the varied modes of their 

 occurrence as immense veins, beds, imbedded masses, &c. to- 

 gether with the examination even of imbedded and disseminated 

 minerals. 



I must again repeat, that we are npt to be prevented from 

 adopting a theory because the facts on which it rests cannot be 

 further explained, for we are not inclined to discontiiiue all the 

 geological investigations belonging to it, until we approach 

 jnore nearly the desired solutions of our difficulties, nor can we 



