XIV 



PREFACE. 



which I am preparing, and from what I fub- 

 mit here to the judgement of the reader. 



That a variety of parallel and horizontal 

 ilrata are produced, by various caufes, at the 

 bottom of the fea ; that earthquakes have 

 broken, difordered,' and faifed large parts of 

 them above its level; that volcanos work 

 both under and above the fea; and, that 

 many foffils are daily produced and accumu- 

 lated by them into hills, high-towering over 

 the former plains till rain and water level 

 them again to the ground ; thefe are unde- 

 niable fails, and, when properly attended to, 

 with a due refpect to fome other phaenome- 

 na, not only fupport the orological hypo- 

 thelis now under coniideration, but moft cer- 

 tainly give ftrongly marked out-lines of Na- 

 ture's own fyflem. 



This fyftem we cannot be thoroughly ac- 

 quainted with, if thefe out-lines are not 

 filled up with variety of obfervations ; 

 they alone can give it life, and make it a 

 true picture of the fubterranean kingdom. 

 Left xvhere philofophers have left it hi- 

 therto, it is but a faint conjectural fketch ; 

 thus finimed, it will get the exactnefs of a 



picture, 



