GEOLOGY. 



which being that which reduced the wa- 

 ters to their present level. 



Patrin formed the opinion, that in the 

 beginning all the matters which now com- 

 pose the exterior part of the globe were 

 held in solution, or suspension in a fluid ; 

 and that of these, some were deposited 

 in a crytallized state, as the granite, &c. 

 whilst those that were not in a state of 

 actual solution formed the different 

 schists, and other earthy, saline, and me- 

 tallic strata, regularly and concentrically 

 disposed. Whilst thus existing in a soft 

 and yielding state, the different substan- 

 ces, by acting on each other, he supposes 

 to have passed into a state of fermenta- 

 tion, necessarily productive of a swelling 

 or raising up, which taking place first of 

 all in the granitic and saline pasty masses, 

 these were elevated, carrying with them, 

 or bursting through the other strata, thus 

 forming the rocks and mountains now 

 existing on the face of the earth. 



That respectable and excellent mine- 

 ralogist, Mr. Kirwan, has zealously endea- 

 voured to form a system which may ac- 

 cord with the Mosaic account of the crea- 

 tion. He supposes the superficial parts 

 of the globe to have been in a fluid state, 

 being held in solution by water conside- 

 rably heated. From the coalescing and 

 crystallization of the contents of this solu- 

 tion, the various metallic substances, the 

 different earths, &c. were deposited in 

 various combinations, forming, according 

 to the predominant proportion of the in- 

 gredients, granite, gneiss, phorphyry, and 

 the other primeval rocks. By the crys- 

 tallization of these immense masses,a pro- 

 digious quantity of heat was generated, 

 even to incandescence, and the oxygen 

 uniting with inflammable air occasioned 

 a stupendous conflagration ; by this the 

 solid basis on which the chaotic fluid 

 rested was rent to a great extent. From 

 the extrication, by this heat, of the oxy- 

 gen and nitrogen gases, the atmosphere 

 was formed: and from the union of the 

 oxygen with ignited carbon, carbonic acid 

 proceeded,jWhich, being absorbed by cal- 

 careous earth, was precipitated in combi- 

 nation with it, forming the primitive lime 

 stones. The level of the ancient ocean 

 becoming then lowered to the depth of 

 9000 feet, fish were created ; and the va- 

 rious stratified secondary mountains were 

 formed within it during its retreat, and 

 after the creation of fish. Soon after, the 

 higher tracts of land being left uncovered 

 by the retreat of the sea to its bed, the 

 land became supplied with vegetables 

 and animals. The deluge he considers 

 as a miraculous effusion of water, both 



from the clouds and from the great 

 which originated in, and proceeded 

 from, the great southern ocean below 

 the equator, and which, rushing into the 

 northern hemisphere, descended south- 

 wards, and at length spread over the face 

 of the whole earth. 



M. de la Metherie, who has investigat- 

 ed the subject with much attention, is of 

 opinion, that all the mountains, vallies, 

 and plains, composing the crust of the 

 earth, were formed nearly in the state in 

 which they now exist, by crystallization 

 of the mass of water which surrounded 

 the earth. The matters composing the 

 highest mountains, he shows, have evi- 

 dently been held in solution : the water, 

 therefore, must have reached above their 

 summits, and of course Inve stood 18,000 

 feet, at least, above its present level. But 

 this being admitted, it becomes necessary 

 to determine what has become of the im- 

 mense quantity of water which has disap- 

 peared since that period. Of this he ima- 

 gines that some part has escaped by eva- 

 poration, and passed into other planets, 

 but that by far the greatest part is buried 

 in the immense caverns which exist in 

 the interior part of the globe. 



On reviewing the systems which have 

 been just enumerated, it is obvious that 

 some are so abundant in fanciful conjec- 

 ture, and so deficient of probability, as 

 not to require any further remark ; whilst 

 in others of a more specious appearance, 

 there are some points which cannot be 

 allowed to their ingenious authors. On 

 these particular doubtful points, it is 

 thought best to offer a few remarks, ra- 

 ther than separately examine each system. 

 With respect to crystallization from an 

 aqueous solution, a supposition which has 

 not yet been generally adopted, it may be 

 remarked, that the' primitive mountains 

 and vallies give exactly that irregularity 

 of appearance, from lofty needle-like 

 forms shooting up in some parts, and ex- 

 tensive plains existing in others, which 

 are observable in cases of crystallization 

 on the small scale. It has been objected, 

 that the secondary mountains do not 

 every where cover the primary on which 

 they rest ; this circumstance must, in all 

 probability, have depended on particular 

 local circumstances, and especially on 

 such as would, as in ordinary cases of 

 crystallization, direct the formation ot* 

 crystals more numerously on one spot 

 than on another. Particular currents may 

 perhaps be considered among the causes 

 which assisted in producing these effects, 

 as well us in forming particular chains: 

 whilst to the action of contrary currents 



