of the Mineral Kingdom.” 279: 
natural constitution of those bodies. It is in this manner that 
such a person finding a piece of lava in any place of the earth, 
says with certainty, Here is a stone which had congealed from a 
melted state.” 
This passage is abundantly distinct ; and I will say further, 
that it is generally very easy for every unprejudiced naturalist to, 
distinguish a real stone from a piece of slag or lava, The ba- 
saltes is areal stone, which all modern philosophers have set 
dowu as belonging to the class of lavas; but I have made it 
evident in my Essays, that the hasaltes is a real stone, the com- 
ponent parts of which I have pointed out ; and I have made it 
appear, that there are in several places many and extensive strata 
of this stone, which are disposed in their stations among other 
strata of different characters and qualities, which are placed 
above and below the several strata of basaltes, and these strata 
of basaltes spread out as wide, and stretch as far every way as 
the other different strata among which they are ranged; and 
therefore, no man, who understands the real structure of the su- 
perficies of our globe, will pretend to say that basaltes is a lava, 
unless he says that all the other strata which accompany basaltes 
are also lava. 
Where strata of basaltine rocks are blended promiscuously, 
among strata of different rocks, it is necessary either to call them 
all strata of lava or strata of stove. Dr. Hutton indeed talks in 
his Theory of inserting a lava, viz. basaltes, among other strata 
of different qualities ; but I would ask the Doctor how he is to 
lift up the superincumbent strata to a sufficient and equal height 
from the strata below them, for many miles extent every way, 
and to keep them asunder, until such a quantity of melted lava 
is poured in as will fill up all the extensive empty space to form 
the new inserted stratum. 
I am speaking of regular and extended strata, which belongs 
to the natural history of basaltes, and I can shew Dr. Hutton a 
considerable number of strata of basaltes, blended stratum super 
stratum, among other various strata of different characters and 
qualities, among which are a considerable number of strata of 
pit coal; and some of these coals are in immediate contact with 
strata of basaltes, as the immediate rgof and pavement of the 
coals; aud I can shew him all these several strata, with their 
concomitant strata, in a stretch of many miles; and I can shew 
similar phenomena in West Lothian, in Ayrshire, and in Fife, 
&c.; and, therefore, it is difficult to believe that basaltes is lava, 
unless we also believe that seams of coal, and all their concomi- 
tant strata, likewise are lava, which sounds very like an absur- 
lity. 
It appears to me rational, and even necessary to suppose, that 
S4 a bie! ©. wil |} 
