71 



whose pillars are 30 feet high; and of the Cyclopian Islands, 

 whose vertical pillars are covered with marine exuviae. All - 

 these, he says, were formed by a sort of vertical jet ; which, 

 in the case of the Cyclopian Islands, carried up the bottom 

 of the sea with it, leaving it on the tops of the pillars, whei-e 

 it was placed before. 



I shall make no other comment, on this machinery of 

 these gentlemen, than to observe, that it must have been 

 managed with great dexterity; since, from their own ac- 

 count, it appears, that the explosion, however violent, has 

 not deranged the perpendicularity of the pillars; at least, 

 at Maillas, La Mothe, and the Cyclopian Islands. 



Mr. St. Fond, though, in general, so well able to account 

 for every thing, yet, on some occasions, like his friend, 

 Mr. Desmarest, cannot suppress his doubts. He says, 

 page 27 1} OH rest stirppfait, e.t on est d, c/ie7'cher, d'ou a pu 

 tenir une masse, aussi etonnante, et aussi isolei. 



And again, page 279j he Avas so much embarrassed, by 

 finding a beautiful suite of piisms, imbedded in the solid 

 rock, that, he confesses, he cannot pronounce on so deli- 

 cate a subject. 



Mr. Dolomieu was a friend, and a con-espondent, of Mr. 

 St. Fond; and a zealous, though, sometimes, not quite so 

 bold, an advocate for the volcanic origin of basalt. He, 

 too, has his doubts, as he candidly confesses to his friend; 

 and also his postulates, though he admits he is somewhat 

 effrai/ee at proposing them. 



K 2 His 



