GEOLOGY. 157 



face of the water ; towards the north the oxydized metals, 

 or the whole series of iron-metals, were produced. In 

 the Temperate Zones we find more lead, zinc, bismuth 

 and arsenic. 



746. Thus the theory itself of ores furnishes us with 

 a proof, such as the theory of the earth that has been 

 hitherto entertained could not afford, that the equator 

 forsooth has since the formation of the metals not been 

 displaced. The metals formed themselves cotempora- 

 neously with the gneiss, and have thus begun to form 

 prior to the existence of the organic world. It is there- 

 fore a vague opinion, devoid also of foundation, that 

 since the earth has been inhabited by animals, even by 

 the higher or hair-clothed vertebrata, its axis has been 

 changed. 



747. No earthly phenomenon speaks so clearly and 

 loudly against the mechanical theories in the natural 

 sciences as ore. Not only has the whole planet been in- 

 cluded in the ore, but also the whole of science, the whole 

 of philosophy. 



748. The first transition of the Earthy into the me- 

 tallic character is indicated by iron. Iron ranks next to 

 earth, especially to the argillaceous earth, is everywhere 

 associated with it and is most generally distributed, 

 being mixed with almost every earth and even all organic 

 bodies, to their very elements. 



749. The whole series of metals has but one root. 

 What the primary earth is for the metamorphosis of 

 earths, that is iron for the metals : it is their silicious 

 earth. 



750. The iron as being the first transition from the 

 Earthy into the Metallic has the highest grade of fusion, 

 and all metals which approximate to this, belong to 

 the retinue of iron. This grade may be set down as 

 20,OOOF. 



751. As iron is the root of all metals, so every division 

 or group of ore has a principal metal, which occurs in 

 more considerable quantity than the rest and character- 

 izes the division. Among the saline ores, copper under 



