MINERALOGY. 391 



earths, water, and air* have evidently been subjected to the 

 action of a severe process of ignition before they assumed 

 their present form. This brings us, therefore, to the con- 

 clusion that the earth, at some remote period, was a liquid 

 mass, melted by heat, which gradually became cooled, 

 and many appearances now met with seem to demonstrate 

 that the center of the earth is still in a state of constant 

 fusion. The only exceptions from the general igneous 

 process are the noble metals. 



Accordingly, then, as by the action of this burning 

 process not only the earth, but also water, was formed, 

 we may reasonably be led to suppose that at that time 

 the earth appeared as a large ball or globe, whose surface, 

 unmarked by any undulations of hill or valley, was cov- 

 ered with thick mud, and from which was produced the 

 aquatic plants and animals whose fossil remains are found 

 entombed in the rocks and different strata which compose 

 the earth's crust. This physical condition of the surface 

 of the globe, which must have continued for many cen- 

 turies, has undergone great and numerous changes, as is 

 altogether evident from the order of the superposition of 

 the different strata of formations, supposed to be the 

 effect of fearful volcanic eruptions, which have raised up 

 the solid crust of the globe, and causing the dry land to 

 be lifted up above the waters, formed islands in different 

 places, as may sometimes be seen in the present day. 

 These islands formed the first firm land,f and most pro- 

 bably gave rise to a new flora and a new population of 

 animated creatures, Avhose fossil remains, found in the 

 different strata, as those of amphibia, mammals, birds, 



* By the term mineral is meant any inorganic object, whether solid, 

 liquid, or gaseous. 



j- Feste-land, Germ. (Continent). 



