656 HISTORY OF GEOLOGY. 



intervals between these depositions. The Scotch 

 philosopher, who had observed in England and 

 Scotland, thought himself justified in declaring that 

 the existing causes were sufficient to spread new 

 strata on the bottom *of the ocean, and that there 

 they are consolidated, elevated, and fractured by 

 volcanic heat, so as to give rise to new conti- 

 nents. 



It will hardly be now denied that all that is 

 to remain as permanent science in each of these 

 systems must be proved by the examination of 

 many cases, and limited by many conditions and 

 circumstances. Theories so wide and simple, were 

 consistent only with a comparatively scanty collec- 

 tion of facts, and belong to the early stage of geo- 

 logical knowledge. In the progress of the science, 

 the " theory" of each part of the earth must come 

 out of the examination of that part, combined 

 with all that is well established concerning all the 

 rest; and a general theory must result from the 

 comparison of all such partial theoretical views. 

 Any attempt to snatch it before its time must fail ; 

 and therefore we may venture at present to desig- 

 nate general theories, like those of Button and 

 Werner, as premature. 



This, indeed, is the sentiment of most of the 

 good geologists of the present day. The time for 

 such general systems, and for the fierce wars to 

 which the opposition of such generalities gives rise, 



