14-8 TRAVELS THROUGH 



many others in a ftate of aqueous difiblution. Mr. 

 Cronjledt, in his Oration on the Improvements of 

 Mineralogy, has pointed out leveral examples of 

 mineral melted bodies, which cryftallize in fufion 

 and fublimation. 



8. The black coarfe lava has, according to my 

 former defcriptions of the Vicentine, Veronefe, 

 and Paduan volcanos, the quality, to be cryftal- 

 lized by refrigeration into large columns or 

 prifms, which are called bafaltes. Now what 

 is bafaltes and lava but a fpecies of fherl ? (Cronft. 

 Mineralog,} Why fhould we deny then that fome 

 nearer related particles of the lava may feparate from 

 its mafs and form fmaller cryftallizations * ? This 

 my opinion will probably be much itrengthened 

 and confirmed by my repeated obfervations of a 

 bafalt-rock near Bolfena, which I have feen near the 

 road, and will defcribe to you at my return. The 

 explaining of aqueous cryftallizations is attended 

 with the fame difficulties as of the fiery ones. Both 

 fuppole a ftate of fluidity. Would we deny their 

 exiftence ? We fee them, though we do not, per- 



* The queftinn, Why do not all lavas cryftallize into prif- 

 matical bafalts? or, Why do not the Vefuvian lavas fhew 

 that form ? is the fame as afking, Why does not every quartz 

 appear in cryftallizations? 



Mr. Ferber fhould not have penned that note; fince there 

 ought to be a natural caufe of it, whatever it be. TRANSJ,. 



haps, 



