OF THE EARTH. 481 



scriptions of a state of things which seems neverthe- 

 less unavoidable. In fact, having never reasoned 

 correctly respecting the coal strata, they have had no 

 guide to a correct system of observations ; while as- 

 suming a false theory, or rather, omitting to form a 

 right one, they have viewed these as if they formed 

 part of a general series produced under the ocean ; 

 thus giving them an intermediate place between the 

 inferior ones and those which were, in some cases, 

 superior, but could not have been so for the whole 

 series upwards from the strata below the coal. At 

 present, I know not how to correct this error, or fill 

 this blank, from such observations as I have been able 

 to make, or by comparing the reports of other ob- 

 servers ; since it is always extremely difficult to reason 

 from bad observations, when truth, and not system, is 

 the real object. But it must be plain, that we are in 

 great error or ignorance as to the order of the strata 

 from the lowest red sandstone and its C( mountain" 

 limestone upwards, that the confusion or ignorance 

 depends on this very fact, so utterly overlooked, and 

 that till this portion of the later rocks is investigated 

 and settled, there will remain a serious blank in a 

 most essential portion of Geology. At present, I can 

 do no more than point out the principles of investi- 

 gation, in this view of the necessary state of things ; 

 and must hope that it will excite others to examine 

 into matters of much more importance than those in 

 which they now seem engaged. It must be plain, at 

 least, that the theories which, in our systems, repre- 

 sent all the strata enumerated after the coal series, as 

 following it in an order of superposition, are er- 

 roneous; while we have not at present any proof of 

 such superposition, beyond the cases in which it is 

 actually found, or can be fairly inferred by the usual 

 rules applied to the investigation of consecutive strata. 

 VOL, i, il 



