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HUTTONIAN THEORY 



401 



cipal objections to all fuch explanations of the 



phenomena of geology. 



358. The general ftrudure of valleys among 

 mountains, is highly unfavourable to the notion 

 that they were produced by any fingle great tor- 

 rent, which fwept over the furface of the earth. 

 In fome inftances, valleys diverge, as it were 

 from a centre, in ail diredions. In others, they 

 originate from a ridge, and proceed with equal 

 depth and extent on both fides of it, plainly in- 

 dicating, that the force which produced them 

 was nothing, or evanefcent at the fummit of 

 that ridge, and increafed on both fideSj as the 

 diitance from the ridge increafed. The work- 

 ing of water colleded from the rains and the 

 fnows, and feeking its way from a higher to a 

 lower level, is the only caufe we know of, which 

 is fubjed to this law* 



359. Again, if we confider a valley as a fpace, 

 which perhaps with many windings and irre- 

 gularities, has been hollowed out of the folid 



lilt tbeyc3D»Ej jQj^j^^ j^ jg plain, that no force of water, fud- 



denly applied, could loofen and remove the 

 great mafs of Hone which has adually difap- 

 peared. The greateft column of water that 

 could be brought to ad againil fuch a mafs, 

 whatever be the velocity we afcribe to it, could 

 not break afunder and difplace beds of rock 



-many leagues in length, and in continuity with 



Cc 



the 



»» 



