344 ON THE FORMATION OP ROCKSt [August^ 



fioiid rocks.^ t^onstautly acted upon by the elements: 

 while the earth's diameter at the equator, will be con- 

 stantly increasing, by the addition of the produce of 

 the consolidating labours of the madrepores, coralsj^ 

 .^hcUs, and iish, &c. in the sea ; joined to the produc- 

 tion of animal and vegetable matter on shore. Should 

 this be tlie case, which at present appears probable, it 

 ED'ght account for the earth being fattened at the poles, 

 ivithout the trouble of dissolving it in water, or melt- 

 ing it by fire. 



It may be that a great many of the circles of ac- 

 tion on Vr hicii the phenomena of nature depend, have 

 not completed their revolutions, m the comparatively 

 short space of time wherein exact science has regulated 

 and directed accurate observation ; we of coiu'se re- 

 main ignorant of the laws that governed nature, as well 

 ns of the agents employed by her, in accomplishing her 

 de igiis. But we have a right to conjecture, from all 

 we know of the order and undeviating regularity of 

 her ictvv-, that those we do not know, will be 

 equnlly ccrtiiin, and unerring, in their operations, 

 by slow and gradual means to effect lier purpose ; 

 nor indeed liave we any riglit to suppose an or- 

 der of things totally subversive of all the laws of 

 nature, with which our experience has brought us ac- 

 quainted. 



In accounting for the phenomena of nature, wft 

 ought, perhaps, to limit ourselves to the operation of 

 such la^vs as experience has made us acquainted v/ith; 

 and w hen these are insuilicient, we might suppose that 

 there are some modes of operating, som,e agents that 



