404 ON THEORIES OF THE EARTH. 



Omitting the speculations of Breislak, and much 

 more, I must note the opinions of Dolomieu, who, 

 finding certain trap rocks interposed between strata, 

 considers them the produce of submarine volcanoes : 

 because this also has been borrowed, essentially, but 

 controverted, ostensibly and nominally, by a later theo- 

 rist. This identification of trap with volcanic pro- 

 ducts, is an important fact ; as is the eruption of lava 

 through granite, proving that it is not the lowest rock: 

 but, as a theorist, this geologist is essentially deficient, 

 when he argues for "retreats" of the sea, exposing these 

 strata ; and thus, blind to what was before him, and 

 equally departing from Lazzaro Moro, leaves unex- 

 plained the accidents of strata. And, inasmuch as 

 he has supposed all trap exclusively submarine, he 

 has misled Hutton, on a point not to be boasted of 

 when borrowed, still less so when at variance with 

 truth. It is no novelty, in him, to have supposed a 

 central ignited fluid, the source of these traps and vol- 

 canoes : and still less is it so in Hutton. Of Faujas 

 de St. Fond, it must suffice to say, that he, reversely, 

 considers all trap as of terrestrial volcanic origin. Why 

 have not these men and their followers seen, that both 

 theories are inevitable, and that there is evidence of 

 both ? But we prefer antagonism to truth ; as " the 

 inconceivableness of something they find in one, throws 

 men more violently into the contrary hypothesis." 



The theory of Hutton is best known through the 

 commentary of Playfair : I must make the following 

 sketch as brief as possible ; while, by commencing 

 from the present state of the earth, it will easily be 

 seen that it is almost a transcript of Lazzaro Moro's, 

 with some extension, and some aid from preceding 

 sources ; yet with some important additions, united to 

 numerous and serious errors. 



