Foreign Literature and Science. 1 91 



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North or South. But this fact would lead to the supposition, 

 that the general subterraneous force of expansion, must have 

 exerted itself the more conspicuously in this direction, under 

 its other mode, viz. the elevation en masse of solid strata. 

 Is not this view corroborated by observations : are there no 

 traces along the Eastern coast of North or South America, of 

 former or continually progressive elevations ? Does not the 

 ocean seem to retreat more rapidly than can be explained by 

 the accumulative action of the Gulf Stream on its shores ? 

 In Europe, on the rocky cliffs of Italy and Norway, we meet 

 with the remains of recent lithophytes, and beds of fresh 

 shells, on ledges, at heights of some hundred feet above the 

 present level of the sea. Are there no traces of this nature to 

 be met with in America ? 



Pray excuse my writing so hastily on a subject of such im- 

 portance. 



Remarks.— We shall be much gratified, if any of our cor- 

 respondents will point out such facts as are alluded to by Mr. 

 Scrope, for, the subject is one of deep interest. We take it 

 for granted, that mineralized organic bodies, imbedded in solid 

 limestone and other rocks, are not within the present inquiry, 

 and therefore we do not mention the vast ranges of the Catts- 

 kill mountains, full of organized remains and bearing the re- 

 lics of madrepores, encrinites, &c. and the vast formations of 

 fragmented and brecciated rocks, (puddingstone and grau- 

 wackes,) to the elevation of three and four thousand feet ; nor 

 are we permitted to mention the elevated transition limestone 

 of the Alleghanies, with its marine treasures. Our inquiries 

 must therefore be limited, principally to the range of accu- 

 rate history or of credible tradition. The voice of history 

 respecting the American continents, speaks only for two or 

 three centuries, and tradition, usually compensating by extent 

 of range for the want of definiteness, has here little or nothing 

 to suggest. 



We may therefore ask directly : 



Is it within the knowledge of any one that the sea has any 

 where receded from our shores except as alluvion has en- 

 trenched upon it ? Does any rock, any promontory, any sea- 

 girt fortress, on our coasts, or on those of the neighboring 

 continent or islands, now stand higher out of the water than 

 formerly 1 Have any rocks formerly sunken, or giving rise to 



