12 Reafons for Sutoafine that 
ration would crumble to pieces; for the ffratum 
confifts of the roots of the Juncus campeftris, heath, 
and other alpine plants connected ina very loofe 
manner, 
To return to the fubject of the effay, it may be 
fafely taken for granted, that the marfhes of every 
country are fimilar to thofe of the north of England, 
Hence it follows that Lakes have once exifted in 
every part of our Globe; and that they have been 
defaced by the fame caufes which have produced 
like effects in this part of the world. But nature 
is not confined to the procefs defcribed above, 
She has other refources, which make a part of this 
inquiry, and ftill remain to be attended to,—In 
order to proceed with fome degree of perfpicuity, 
it will be neceflary to premife the following cir- 
cumftances, which muft have attracted the notice 
of every one who has dedicated any part of his 
time to the examination of the phenomena obfer- 
vable in mountainous regions. 
The compacteft' firata of the earth, when expofed 
to the atmofphere, are broken into pieces, as is 
evident from the immenfe heaps of {tones which 
are found lying at the foot of every precipice, 
confifting of fragments that are continually detached 
from it by the injuries of the air, and have been 
accumulating for ages. 
The truth of this propofition will be further con- 
firmed by infpeCting the fide of a hill after the foil is 
taken away; for it appears to bemade up of maffes of 
ftone 
