31)4 ON THEORIES OF THE EARTH. 



all these organs. If, therefore, the leader should be 

 charged with the faults of' his followers, it is the sect 

 which is the object of examination : while it is an idle 

 office to settle the contending claims to ignorance. 



In an originally fluid earth, the materials of all mi- 

 nerals were dissolved in water. From this, granite 

 was first precipitated, at specific points, being followed 

 by gneiss, and successively by the primary schists, in 

 an "invariable order;" though it is not explained why 

 the former is irregular, and the latter stratified. These 

 rocks were " primitive," and anterior to the creation of 

 animals ; and they are purely chemical, as the produce 

 of aqueous crystallization. Certain marine animals are 

 then created: and the water having diminished in 

 quantity, new rocks are laid bare. The precipitation, 

 which had ceased, is now renewed ; while the frag- 

 ments of these rocks, and the spoils of animals, be- 

 come intermixed with the new chemical precipitates, 

 forming the " transition" class. And, because the 

 water continued progressively to diminish, each suc- 

 ceeding rock appears at lower levels, granite occupying 

 the highest place ; while all rocks occur, throughout 

 the globe, in the same order, constituting "universal 

 formations." More land becoming dry after the tran- 

 sition rocks, the u floetz" rocks are formed, necessarily 

 less inclined to the horizon, and more regular ; though 

 the reasons why, are not given, any more than for their 

 frequent erect positions at present. And the creation 

 of new .animals accounts for the superiority of their 

 remains in these. After this, the water rose again to 

 deposit the trap rocks ; thus once more covering, even 

 the Andes, yet depositing them on such chosen places; 

 as, in subsiding, it let them fall on Britain and else- 

 where. But, astheylie among successive " floetz" strata, 

 the sea rose and fell over the whole globe, as often as 



