eek page 
x may be fi ment, not on in 
ent arts of the ane bait even in rile same ee fig 
‘e cannot deny a conclusion drawn from facts ae 
ee under our eyes ; for whatever takes place upon the sur- 
face of the globe, belongs to the same geological epoch, and 
which commenced at the moment when our continents took 
their actual form: and although this epoch may have a 
character of stability or repose, in the geological phenomena 
it presents, which does not permit, oxnept ina oat cases, the 
formation of new rocks; nevertheless, it produces still a few 
of these for our observation ; for example, the hae of Ve- 
suvius and other volcanos, ‘the calcareous tufas formed in 
many of our streams, and the siliceous sinters in those of Ice- 
land; all of which, are, mineralogically, quite distinct from 
each other; but the organic remains they enclose have all 
the common character of belonging to a creation formed 
since the commencement of this epoch. To desire a great- 
er number of examples, and of course, proofs of a similar 
truth, would ALS bom unnecessarily, an argument already 
somewhat ¢ extended. 
they res ie is true, destroyed instant ; ; buta et 
time is requisite to create the ow, in re that they he 
esent the num the wencteh of development me 
they now exhibit. This development requires a 
of ages; or at least of years, which establishes a true nae 
gical epoch ; during which, all organized beings which in- 
habit, either the whole surface of the globe, or at least a 
very large part of it, have assumed a peculiar character of 
family or of epoch, which, though it cannot be defined, can- 
not be mistaken. 
“1 consider then, those characters relating to the epochs 
of formations, which are taken from organic remains, as of 
the first value in geology, and as superior to all others, how- 
ever yay they may appear: ih even when characters 
m the nature of the rocks, (and these are very 
weak,) ask, as the Lage t of the strata, the hollowing out of 
—_ likewise the inclination and contrasted oa 
;—are found in opposition with such as are 
furnished us by organic remains, I shall allow to the lat- 
ter the preponderance: for all these effects may be the 
result of a ails ig orofa ae formation, w does. 
Vor. X 1 
