440 



trines upon his route, where Mr. Brydone picks them up as he fol- 

 lowed him, two or three years afterwards, and retails them con amore. 



I have often wondered how this theory, irreconcileable ta common 

 fenfe, unfupported by any evidence, and contradifted by a thoufand 

 Itubborn fafts, came to make its way fo generally in the world. 



M. D'Jkmbert's letter to Voltaire clears up the difficulty ; thefe 

 gentlemen and their affociates had then got poffeffion of the French 

 academy ; they alone had the public ear, they extolled the writings, 

 and fuppofed difcoveries of their partifans, and as they were moflly 

 men eminent for their Uterary merit, and not then fufpcfted of any 

 fmifter intentions, they neceffarily gave the ton, and the theories and 

 difcoveries which they approved (with apparent impartiality) were upon 

 their credit implicitly received by the world. 



Thus the volcanic origin of bafalt is admitted as a propofition already 

 demonftrated, and perpetually quoted as fuch, without further enquiry. 



I am happy to find, that on this point (the volcanic origin of 

 bafalt) I agree in opinion with Dr. Hufton and his friends, and I hope 

 this coincidence will procure my excufe for making fome further ob- 

 fervations on his pofition, that /jc could find 710 vejiige of a beginning, 

 no profped of an end. 



This epitome of Dr. Hntm's difcoveries, the refult of fo much la- 

 borious invcftigation, has ftill Icfs claim to novelty than his theoiy 

 itfelf; there feems to be fomething fafcinating in the atheiftical pro- 

 pofition, the world has neither beginning nor end, fince at all times, io 

 much pains have been taken to extraft it as a conclufion from dif- 

 ferent premifes ; nor is Dr. Hutton the only perfon that gravely an- 

 nounces the important difcovery as if made by himfelf. 



I will take the liberty of quoting the Vicar of Wakefield's friend, 

 Mr. Jenkinfon's, account of this queftion. " Aye, fir, replied he," as 

 if he had referved all his learning to that moment, " Aye, fir, the 

 " world is in its dotage, and yet the cofmogony or creation of the 

 " world has puzzled philofophers of all ages ; what a medly of opi- 



" nions 



