462 



tJietn was formed in the manner fo minutely detailed in Dr. Hutton's 

 theory. 



I muft, therefore, decline concurring in the numerous compliments 

 paid to him by his friend, Mr. Flay/air, in a grave eulogium, occu- 

 pying, with pure praife, no lefs than fourteen pages ; and particu- 

 larly I muft decline admitting, " That the lapfe of time muft necef- 

 " farlly remove all objedions to Dr. Mutton's theory." (Uluf.page 138.) 



And alfo, that the author of this theory, " will be remembered 

 " among the illuftrious few, whofe fyftems have been verified by the 

 " obfervations of Succeeding ages, and fupported by fafts unknown 

 " to themfelves." (Page 140.) 



I fliali now proceed to parts of Dr. Hutton's Theory, ftill more 

 aftonifliing, where, to ufe Mr. Play/air's words, " the greatnefs of the 

 " objects which it fets before us, alarms the imagination ;" — and 

 again, " thefe are things with which, however certainly they may be 

 " proved, the mind cannot foon be familiarized." 



Examination of Dr. Hutton^s 2d Propqfition, 



That our Strata were confolidated at the Bottom of the Sea by Heat 



and Fufion. 



In order to proceed with Dr. Hutton's theory, we muft now give 

 up the points we have hitherto been contefting, and admit the de- 

 tritus of our continents to be depofited in the unfathomable regions of 

 the ocean, where, he fays, they were confolidated by heat and fu- 

 fion. 



The advocates for Dr. Hutton's theory, cannot reafonably expeft 



that we fliould be more liberal in our conceffions than he is him- 



,felf ; and as in refutation of fome opinion with which I have nothing 



" to 



