108 J. D. Dana—Notice of Hunt's Essays. 
Journal (see pages 371 and 477) enable us to move a step for- 
ward, and, at the same time, leave little room for doubt with 
regard to the small value of Mr. Hunt’s speculations.* 
I had no occasion to speak of the origin of chrysolite rocks, 
nor do I now see that it was necessary. Such rocks are known 
to be very common among the oldest terranes of the globe, s0 
that this material for making serpentine was then_abundantly 
t. 
_ Mr. Hunt keeps up his misrepresentations even when he 
is saying that “nothing is further from my intention than t0 
misrepresent the views either of Naumann or of Dana.” His 
referred especially to one question—the chemical Ota in te 
aumann, t 
In order that the absurdity of the claim of “ difficulty ” may ; 
be still better appreciated, and to prevent, if possible, its rep® 
tition, I here state that— 
I have never held, and my writings no where sustain, the follow 
ing opinions which Mr. Hunt has attributed to me and others :— 
1. The “possibility of converting almost any silicate inl 
any other.” 
2. The possibility of converting granite into limestone. 
3. The possibility of converting gneiss into limestone. 
4. The possibility of converting diorite into limestone. 
* Mr. Hunt, in his hypothesis, attributes the origin of 
beds of se ine 
steatite to the alteration of chemically-deposited beds of different hydrous rp 
Sian silicates re to meerschaum. Serpentine occurs of various ages, @ if. set 
found in Cretaceous rocks in California, as shown by Whitney. Certainly 
