The Evolution of the Sciences 



sort of crater. This was Lemery's volcano. A 

 hundred years later Volta explained in similar 

 manner the exhalations of the Tuscan Maremma 

 by the decomposition of surface animal and 

 vegetable matter, buried for centuries under the 

 detritus of the Apennines. Werner at the 

 same period sought at Freiberg identical views. 



To-day nothing remains of these rudiment- 

 ary explanations, and it would be loss of time to 

 demonstrate their inadequacy. Another hypo- 

 thesis, it is true, may be linked with the chemical 

 hypothesis; it attempts to explain volcanic par- 

 oxysms by the gradual infiltration of sea-water 

 and the effect of its contact with the incandes- 

 cent inner matter. Fortunately it is unnecessary 

 for us to express an opinion on this much- 

 disputed question ; whatever solution is adopted 

 it cannot affect the probability of the internal 

 fluidity of the globe. 



But though the study of volcanic action 

 leads one to admit the existence of molten 

 masses in the interior of the globe, one might 

 yet suppose these liquid masses not to be con- 

 tinuous but concentrated in great cavities, each 



feeding a single volcano or all the volcanoes of 



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