408 On the ROCKS in the 
lifbury Craig and Arthur’s Seat appear perfectly familiar to us ; 
there are phenomena belonging to both, however, of which, I 
have no doubt, many are yet ignorant. That any-circumftance 
of an interefting nature, fhould remain unobferved, can only be 
accounted for, by its being taken for granted, that thefe confpi- 
cuous objects, having already undergone much critical examina- 
tion, nothing farther remains to be noticed. This is an opi- 
nion, which I fhall prove in the fequel, to be without founda- 
tion. 
Artbhur’s Seat and Salisbury Craig, are naturally the objects, 
which firft attra@ the attention of the geological traveller, 
on his arrival in Edinburgh ; and to thefe places he is general- 
ly conducted by fome one of our amateurs, when the favourite 
theory is introduced, and each corroborative fact dwelt upon, 
with all the ufual keennefs of theoretic difcuffion. This was the 
eyound which, in all probability, firft fuggefted the Theory of 
Hurron ; and it was perhaps here, that his comprehenfive 
mind originally laid the foundation, of the ftrudture which 
he afterwards fo fuccefsfully reared. . But that theory, in 
itfelf fo beautiful, and in many points fo perfect, I am very far 
from embracing entirely. Iam very far, indeed, from follow- 
ing him through his formation and confolidation of ftrata, or 
the tranfportation and arrangement of the materials, of which 
they are compofed. There are other circumftances alfo, which, 
though totally irreconcilable with any ether hypothefis, are yet 
but imperfeatly explained by his. I particularly allude to the fin- 
gular contortions, exhibited in what are termed Transition ftra- 
“ta, fo finely exemplified on the coaft of Berwickfhire. I 
with-to carry my induétions, juft as far as-facts will bear them 
out. It is therefore, only in the regions of unftratified rocks, 
or in their immediate vicinity, that I have as yet, been able to 
difcover 
