370 RECAPITULATION OF THE OBJECTIONS [Ch. XVI. 



CHAPTER XVI. 



MAY NOT ALL THE PHENOMENA OF THE PRIMARY ROCKS, 

 BOTH STRATIFIED AND UNSTRATIFIED, BE SATISFACTORILY 

 EXPLAINED ON THE SUPPOSITION THAT THESE ROCKS ARE 

 OF CONTEMPORANEOUS ORIGIN? 



Recapitulation of the principal facts, and of the conclusions deduced therefrom. 



The primary slates not sedimentary deposits are in their original positions 



their contortions, fragment-like structure, and veins, no indications of vio- 

 lence not derived from the metamorphoses of fossiliferous strata. The pre- 

 vailing theory not founded on a correct deduction from facts. Another ex- 

 planation of the phenomena of the primary rocks offered its consistency 

 with the general opinions concerning the nature of the secondary and tertiary 

 formations. Conclusion. 



IN the preceding chapters we have advanced objections 

 against various opinions which are generally entertained con- 

 cerning the nature of the primary rocks ; and we have, at 

 each step, successively concluded that the phenomena which 

 were under consideration might receive a more plausible 

 solution, by supposing them to have been coeval with the 

 formation of these rocks. 



It is now proposed to show that these several conclusions 

 are consistent with each other, and that the theory of the 

 primary rocks, resulting from their combination, may be con- 

 joined with that of the secondary and tertiary formations 

 which now prevails, and which has been deduced from a com- 

 parison of their phenomena with analogous appearances, pro- 

 duced by causes now in operation. But, before entering on 

 these considerations, it is desirable to recapitulate the ob- 

 jections which have been brought forward, and the leading 

 arguments by which they have been supported, in order to 



