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or parallelopipedal arrangement to the coal. The thick compact masses 

 of clunoh, bind, stony-bind, and 6aZ/-ironstone, have no slines : they 

 prevail only in the seams of coal, sandstone, and beds of ironstone. The 

 sandstones, which are full of cracks and divisions, have their partings 

 parallel in a northward and southward direction, whereas those which 

 run eastwardly and westwardly observe no parallelism, although they 

 ramify into each other : this arrangement has place at all depths from 

 the surface. Variations in the direction of slines is ascribed to a tilt in 

 the strata, subsequently to their primary formation. This induction rests 

 on the fact — that whether in the coal, the shale, or the sandstone seams, 

 no fossil vegetable has been discovered within the partings or impressed 

 upon their sides, whilst those seams themselves abound with vegetable 

 impressions. The observations advanced in this chapter, are stated with 

 great perspicuity and conciseness ; and they offer subjects of the highest 

 import to the attention of practical miners and geologists. 



Chap. V. — We cannot undertake, in an analytical sketch, to do any 

 thing like justice to this extraordinary chapter. It treats on the indura- 

 tion of the strata, and on the question — whether their consolidation be the 

 resultof pressureorof chemicalaction, — and includes remarks on the origin 

 of Thermal springs. Mr. M., in discussing these topics, adduces proofs 

 to shew that the cavities of sandstone rocks were made after the depo- 

 sition of the strata ; next, he points out the difference between induration 

 resulting from arrangement of parts, and that occasioned by composition ; 

 and then, he states the probability of its being hereafter ascertained 

 that " the combined agency of fire and water was employed chiefly in 

 accomplishing the processes of induration.*' His *' facts and observa- 

 tions" make it nearly certain that Thermal springs are produced, during 

 the crystallization of substances, by the escape of the caloric of fluidity 

 of water. By the fact of their being method in the slips, he shews also 

 that the term convulsion, so frequently used both by theorists and 

 practical men, is certainly in most cases altogether misapplied. Every 

 paragraph of this chapter is particularly instructive, and unfolds matters 

 of extreme importance, both as regards experience and philosophy. We 

 urge on the consideration of our readers the advantages of making its 

 propositions the subject of careful and reiterated examination. 



Chap. VI. — Mr. M., in treating here of the dip or inclination of the 

 strata, observes — that the whole of these, in the Ashby coal-field, 

 generally preserve their parallelism ; and that this field is a spoon-shaped 

 basin, the top of which stretches nearly south. In this direction, the 

 rise of the measures is about one in ten ; on the west, it is more abrupt ; 

 and, on the east, it is still more abrupt, the high sand rocks projecting in 

 some parts, and apparently tilting the measures to an angle of about 

 forty degrees. On the western side, the coal is thrown down by faults, 

 and has its extent prolonged considerably ; but, although it has various 

 swamps and elevations, yet on the whole it preserves its parallelism. On 

 the north, the strata dip at a small angle, so as to lie almost flat, and 

 their basseting has not yet been ascertained. The sections, so beautiful 

 and distinct, which elucidate these ** observations," shew that the 

 measures preserve their respective distances and thickness, as well in 

 the regular dip as in their risings and depressions ; but it is difficult to 

 determine whether these waving lines were so formed originally, or 

 arose from dislocations of the strata, when the masses would conform 

 to their new bearings. Mr. M. seems disposed to refer the formation of 

 these lines to the last-mentioned causes. He remarks also, that the 

 diluvial deposits, on the borders of the coal-strata, do not derange their 

 ordinary dip ; but, that these deposits, consisting of sandy or con- 



