40 



Or were they antecedent to the flratified maffes, that every vhere come 

 in contaft with them? 



The inutility of llich fpeculations deters me from entering into them. 

 I muft however confefs, that the fa&s fecm to give ftronger negatives to 

 the two firfl qucftions, than to the hiil ; but who would hazard fo bold 

 an opinion, as that thcfe mighty walls were the firfl; part of our world 

 that was formed? what an idea mufl: it convey to us of this frame work 

 ox Jkclcton of our globe? 



A new theory I conceive more likely to be a nuifance than an acqui- 

 fition to natural hiftory ; and that the road to the advancement of the 

 fcience would be better laid open by defl;roying fome of thofe we have 

 already. 



Should therefore your Lordflaip think that the arguments I have ad- 

 duced againfl the igneous origin of our Whynn Dykes are of any weight 

 1 will probably make further inroads into the territories of Vulcan, and 

 queftion the igneous origin of bafalt in general. 



To this your Lordihip will very likely reply, that the topic is worn 

 threadbare ; that mofl: modern writers, without entering into the queflion, 

 pronounce it to be already decided in the affirmative ; and that I fliall 

 never obtain attention to fo fl:ale a fubjeft. 



My opportunities however to procure information upon it have been 

 •fuperior to thofe of any other perfon ; I have lived very many fummers 

 in the mofl: important bataltic country in the world, and my fondnefs 

 for the fea, and poffeflion of boats, have enabled me repeatedly to ex- 

 plore our coaft, which I know that no other naturalift ever did. It is 

 to this coafl: and country that the advocates for particular opinions "come, 

 to look for arguments to fupport the theories they patronize ; it is pain- 

 ful to follow fuch gentlemen, correcting their fl;atements, and contradift- 

 ing their aflertions: nor are they curfory travellers alone who mifreprefent 

 our fafts ; it will appear that men of fcience and ability are equally difpofed 

 to fupport their opinions at any expence ; a favourite theory is an adopt- 

 ed child, that mufl be maintained. 



But 



