OF THE SEA AND LAND. 13 



cavated these : and the lake is hut a valley, though 

 such reasoners forget it : while if the early surface con- 

 tained valleys of such a form, it might as well have 

 contained all others. The original courses, if not the 

 channels, of the rivers were made for them, hut they 

 have modified those : as they have necessarily heen the 

 fahricators of their own beds where these exist in allu- 

 vial and protruded lands. All this is as obvious as it 

 is simple. But all geology is, throughout, like all the 

 works of nature, too simple for those who cannot see 

 what is, who seek in their own inventions for what is 

 not, and who also delight in mysteries. It has been 

 the history of all the sciences : and all flounder alike, 

 till a Newton arises, to see and demonstrate the truth. 



I ought not to be compelled to pursue this subject 

 through such asserted cases as the Lake of Geneva : 

 but authority sanctions every absurdity while it 

 holds, as it is the steady enemy to improvement and 

 truth. If we compare that lake with the Valais, it is 

 impossible to believe that it could have received all the 

 materials of that valley, and still retain the depth 

 which it possesses ; increase the original extent of the 

 cavity as we may : while, since there was such a va- 

 cuity, such a valley, here, from the beginning, why 

 was there not one also in the Valais, and why should 

 that, peculiarly, have been excavated by its river ? 

 What power of rivers excavated the great Caledonian 

 valley, even though it had not contained Loch Ness : 

 and where are the rivers which produced all the 

 Western Highland inlets? for these are valleys also. 

 Like thousands more, they are the original valleys of 

 the surface : rivers may have modified their forms ; 

 hut they were not made by any river. 



If I have thus terminated this part of the subject, I 

 can afford but little further illustration ; while gladly 

 pointing out, at home, where all can see, what those 



