OF THE EARTH. 485 



land, even if generally granted to these arguments, 

 could not have been universal. The red marl itself., 

 together with many of the subsequent strata, is formed 

 of the ruins of rocks which must have remained above 

 the waters ; lands subject to the action of the ele- 

 ments, giving passage to rivers, and thus contri- 

 buting to lay the foundation of another world. But 

 if the existence of dry land during this period, were 

 not thus esteemed to be proved, the remains found in 

 the lias would put this beyond doubt. That scries is 

 the next which was formed beneath the same ocean, 

 and it contains terrestrial organic fossils sufficient to 

 establish this supposition. 



But, under general views, it is not easy to see how 

 this could be otherwise; since it is to conceive a globe, 

 of which the entire superficies was water, and thus, a 

 kind of equalization of the solid surface beneath it. 

 Whence the probability is, that such a revolution 

 consisted in elevation and depression at the same time; 

 or that while land sunk beneath the ocean in one 

 place, its bottom was raised into land in another. 

 And in this case it is plain, that there must have been 

 a second disclosure, in some places, of the primary and 

 the inferior secondary strata ; producing, thus, a com- 

 plication of effects as to that which I have hitherto 

 spoken of but as a simple depression, respecting which 

 it is easier to conjecture than to decide. I cannot yet, 

 myself, satisfactorily make out any appearances which 

 require this explanation, or which it would explain ; 

 not having had the requisite opportunities since I ex- 

 amined into this subject : though I have reason to 

 suspect it as to some former observations which I 

 have now no opportunity of verifying. But having 

 pointed out to Geologists the theory, or the necessity, 

 it is probable that they will hereafter discover the 

 facts in question ; in which case the clue is also of- 



