20 . II. RELICS. Introduction 



a. 9. The first period, commencing- with the 

 existence of marine animals, and ending with the 



stituent particles having been consolidated by crystallization; a 

 in granular limestones, granite, gneiss, c.) 



6. The first deposits from the chaotic fluid were chemical, con- 

 sisting of siliceous and argillaceous earth, a small proportion of 

 the calcareous and magnesian, with various metallic particles, par- 

 ticularly iron. These ingredients partially separated, and crystal- 

 lizing according to the laws of elective attraction, produced in the 

 iirst instance quartz, feltspar, mica, &c., which, collectively con- 

 creting, formed rocks of the granitic class. 



(Ob. Hence, granite and its varieties are universally found to 

 underlay other rocks ; constituting, as it were, the fundamental 

 basis, on which stones of subsequent formation have been de- 

 posited.) 



7. After granite, other -primary rocks were deposited, as 

 gneiss, micaceous schistus, argillaceous schistus, porphyries, 

 cS^c. previous to the existence of organized bodies. 



(Ob. Inferred from these rocks never exhibiting organic remains 

 in their compositions. In some instances, granite, gneiss, &c., ap- 

 pear to be coe.val.) 



8. These primary rock formations were not generally deposited 

 in concentric strata; but mostly in immense, irregular masses, of 

 which the more elevated parts now constitute the highest mountains 

 of our globe. 



(Ob. Even secondary mountains, according to Werner, owe 

 their elevation to the structure of the primary rocks, on which those 

 of secondary formation, were deposited and hence, the strata in 

 secondary mountains are more or less inclined, according to the di- 

 rection of the base, on which they are incumbent. That the 

 primary depositions would generally assume a massive form, or if 

 a stratified, that the position of such primary strata would be ver- 

 tical or highly inclined (the state in which they are mostly found) 

 is interred from the known properties of crystallization, by which 



