fs MODIFIED by COMPRESSION. ryt 
fioned, the water would eafily find its level without the af 
fiftance of any extraordinary fuppofition. The elevation of 
the land, too, is evinced by what has occafionally happened in 
volcanic regions, and affords a complete folution of the con- 
tortion and erection of ftrata, which are almoft univerfally ad- 
mitted to have once lain in a plane and horizontal pofition. 
WHATEVER opinion be adopted as to the mode in which the 
land and the water have been feparatéd, no one doubts of the 
ancient fubmarine fituation of the ftrata. 
An important feries of facts proves, that they were likewife fub- 
terranean. Every thing indicates that a great quantity of matter 
has been removed from what now conftitutes the furface of our 
globe, and enormous depofites of loofe fragments, evidently de- 
tached from mafles fimilar to our common rock, evince the action 
of fome very powerful agent of deftruction. Analogy too, leads 
us to believe, that all the primary rocks have once been covered 
with fecondary ; yet, in vaft diftricts, no fecondary rock ap- 
pears. In fhort, geologifts feem to agree in admitting the ge- 
neral pofition, that very great changes of this kind have taken 
place in the folid furface of the globe, however much they may 
differ as to their amount, and as to their caufes. 
Dr Hutton afcribed thefe changes to the adion, during 
very long time, of thofe agents, which at this day continue 
flowly to corrode the furface of the earth ; frofts, rains, the or- 
dinary floods of rivers, &c. which he conceives to have aéted 
always with the fame force, and no more. But to this opinion 
I could never fubfcribe, having early adopted that of Saus- 
SURE, in which he is joined by many of the continental 
geologifts. My conviction was founded upon the infpedction 
of thofe facts in the neighbourhood of Geneva, which he 
has adduced in fupport of his opinion. I was then convinced, 
Y2 and 
