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thofe that are at prefent the moft folid, were originally in a foft 

 ftate. Thus in the mountains of Quedlioe and Portfioellet in Nor- 

 way, which confift of an argillaceous pudding ftone, the filiceous 

 pebbles it contains are obferved to be compreffed to the chick- 

 nefs of about ^ of an inch in the lower parts of the mountains, 

 but to increafe in fizc and roundnefs in proportion as their fitu- 

 ation is higher.^ — i. Bergm. Erde Bcfch. 182. and in the Fivarois 

 the loweft ftrata of primitive limeftone have been found of the 

 thicknefs of only — of an inch, but in proportion to their 

 heighth in the mountain their thicknefs increafes, until at its 

 fummit it arrives to thirty or forty feet. 1. Soulavic, 178. Mr. 

 Ferncr made the fame obfervation in England*, but it is needlefs 

 to infift further on this point, as it is now generally allowed. 



With refped to the interior and more central parts, they 

 having been hitherto inacceffible, nothing can be determined 

 from immediate obfervation, but we may colled with fufficient 

 certainty, and it is now generally acknowledged, that at the 

 time of the creation and for many centuries after they contained 

 immenfe empty caverns, and confequently confifted of materials 

 fufEciently folid to refift the preffure of the enormous mafs of 

 liquid fubftance placed over them. 



The liquidity thus proved to exift in the more fuperficial parts 

 of the globe, comprehending even thofe that are now moft folid, 



muft 



• I R02. 8to. p. 64. and Gruber in Carniola. Phy. Arlxit. id Stuck, j. 



