Geology of England and Wales t^c.'' 239 



ular masses, like trap ; and if we can judge from the con- 

 fusion of the strata in the vicinity of these masses, we must 

 conclude, in many instances, that they were protruded 

 through these strata. We are acquainted, also, with in- 

 stances, in which granite veins have dislocated the strata, 

 through which they pass, in the same manner as trap dykes. 

 We are inclined, also, to believe, that in the granite of New 

 England, veins may frequently be found connecting the beds, 

 as is sometimes the case with trap. We happen to live in 

 a part of the country where our daily walks present to us 

 granite veins, beds, and protruding masses ; and we for- 

 merly had frequent opportunities to examine our green- 

 stones : (we speak here only of secondary and transition 

 trap:) and we commenced these examinations with preju- 

 dices in favour of Wernerian views. But we have been in- 

 sensibly led to lean to the conclusions above noticed. We 

 might have studied hand specimens in cabinets forever, and 

 remained firm to the Neptunian theory in all its length and 

 breadth. But really, nature's cabinet seems to teach a 

 different lesson. 



W^e mention such views as these, however, with a great 

 mixture of remaining scepticism. We say only, that after 

 an examination, of the rocks that have fallen under our no- 

 tice, we are led to refer some of them to an igneous origin, 

 (trap and granite for instance,) and others to aqueous depo- 

 sition. For we consider the evidence of the agency of wa- 

 ter in the formation of many series of rocks, to be quite as 

 strong, as of the agency of heat in others. Instating these 

 two general results, we would by no means be understood, 

 that we are advocates for all the minutiae of the Huttoni- 

 an hypothesis. We are indifferent whether we are called 

 Neptunians, or Vulcanists ; and also, whether we have any 

 general theory on the subject, or only some points of ap- 

 parently contradictory theories. Just so far as undeniable 

 facts lead us, we wish to follow ; but no farther. We do 

 not believe the time has yet arrived, in which it is possi- 

 ble to make any very extensive, correct generalizations in 

 regard to the original formation of rocks. Let any *man 

 compare the geology of England, as the work we have been 

 considering, presents it, with the comparatively scanty ma- 

 terials yet collected in most other countries, (several parts 

 of the continent of Europe, of course, excepted.) and will 



