RISE AND FALL OF COASTS. 333 



boundaries of the ocean. If the land be rising, this 

 coast-line will appear to recede from the water, 

 while a fresh one will be continually in course of 

 formation by the retiring ocean. 



The encroachment or retreat of the sea, easily 

 proved in such a case, is much less obvious on a 

 rocky or very steep coast. Where the ground is 

 nearly horizontal, a slight rise in the level of the sea 

 will cause the inundation of a great extent of country. 

 The encroachment of the sea on an abrupt coast is, 

 on the contrary, insensible; and a number of ob- 

 servations, often repeated at considerable intervals, 

 is necessary to obtain a definite idea of the phe- 

 nomena. 



If to this difficulty in making observations we add 

 the complication (raused by the ebb-and-fiow of the 

 tide, we may easily comprehend why so many years 

 have been necessary to demonstrate and accurately 

 to measure the sinking of the land on the coast of 

 Sweden. 



When the earth is thrown up around us with a 

 great noise, when crevices are produced in an instant, 

 and the solid ground trembles and quakes beneath 

 our feet, we can have no difficulty in remarking the 

 facts. But although, after an earthquake or other 

 perturbation of that nature, the country remains 

 either raised or lowered several yards, the inhabi- 



