L21 



TL GEOLOGY. 



545. Geology is the history of the formation of the 

 planet. It is the doctrine which comprises the structure 

 and thus the form, with the organs or members of the 

 planet, if we would compare the latter with an organic 

 body. 



1. Form of the Planet. 



546. Crystallization belongs to the essence of the 

 earth as the globular form does to that of water. The 

 life of the earth consists in the formation of crystals. 

 The being of the earth and of the crystal are identical. 

 The solid planet earth, has originated also according to 

 the laws of crystallization. 



547. It is not, however, a single large crystal, the 

 structure of which appears to be homogeneous ; but 

 it is crystallized in its smallest parts ; it is an accu- 

 mulation of crystals, which its atoms, integral parts, or 

 constituent forms present for our examination. If a 

 schorl or feld-spar were extended to the size of the whole 

 earth, its integral parts, though undiscoverable before 

 by the microscope, would then become visible. Crystals 

 would be exhibited therein of silicious, argillaceous, 

 talcose, and calcareous earths, of iron, boracic acid, &c. 

 In short it would prove a complex kind of rock or moun- 

 tain. The fundamental or principal mass of the planet 

 is thus a granular kind of rock or mountain, probably like 

 granite. Each of these constituent forms is crystallized 

 for itself out of the fluid-mass according to the laws 

 developed in the theory of crystallization, in every point 

 of the fluid a globe of crystallizing forces being consti- 

 tuted, that generated the constituent forms. 



548. The earth (regarded as planet, not as element) 

 has during its coagulation into a solid nucleus, generated 

 an infinity of polar spheres, as every polar line consists 

 of an infinite vicissitude of poles. 



549. These integral crystals have originated only in > 

 drops of water ; for then only was an infinite multitude 



