22 PAPERS, ETC. 
which are new substances—an apparent evil, out of which 
springs good,—exhibiting first, the deformity of decay, but 
ending in boundless beauty, and infinity of exquisitely 
varied formation. I have no doubt but that the se- 
condary cause of these mighty changes is the electric 
prineiple,—Nature does not work with the voltaic battery 
of man, with its two dissimilar metals, and associated fluid, 
but she progresses, although with similar elements, yet 
different ones. The grass covers the soil with its verdure, 
absorbing from that soil electrically, the principles which 
support its growth, and decomposing by a power, far 
superior to that of art, and by laws ill understood, the 
substances in contact with its roots ; making even the 
hard flints subservient to the birth of the tender vegetable 
above—carrying substances apparently insoluble by such 
a process, into its remotest ramifications, laughing at the 
devices of the chemist, and the boasted philosophy of man; 
still, let us endeavour to imitate, though at a humble dis- 
tance; let us search for those laws, and although often 
baflled, we shall be well recompensed. The vast strata 
of granite and clay-slate which often come into contact, 
moistened by these subterraneous waters, are quite sufhi- 
cient to excite electric currents, amply fitted for the 
purposes they have to perform. I have often produced 
erystalline matters without the use of a metal in its me- 
tallic state, or indeed any battery whatsoever. Some years 
since, being at Weymouth, I observed some rounded 
limestones and some sea shells embedded in the clay ofa 
small perpendicular cliff, each stone and shell being covered 
with erystals of sulphate of lime. On looking around to 
investigate the cause ot the formation of sulphate of lime 
upon these substances, I discovered a stratum of decom- 
posing sulphuret of iron, running horizontally on the top 
