4 PREFACE. 



a careful revisal, might have been 

 avoided. 



It is believed, the explanations given 

 in the following pages will furnish data, 

 which will account for most of the 

 phenomena, hitherto not clearly ex- 

 pounded, in relation to the external 

 appearance and condition of the earth's 

 surface ; and indicate the cause of the 

 deposits of marine shells, and animal 

 remains, on the hills, at great distances 

 from the ocean. 



The writer believes, that if the whole 

 theory proposed is not deemed visionary, 

 some part of it, at least, will lead to in- 

 vestigations that will confirm the truth 

 of the suggestions thus hastily intimated. 



Many of the ideas advanced are 

 believed to be original ; they so sug- 

 gested themselves to the mind of the 



