On GRANITE. 8r 



fize, which to every perfon who has feen them, leave no manner 

 of doubt with regard to the proportion which I have main- 

 tained. 



We are now fully aflured that granite has been made to 

 break, difplace and invade the Alpine fchiftus or primary ftrata 

 having been previoufly forced to flow in the bowels of the 

 earth, and reduced into a ftate of fufion. From this too we are 

 to draw the following conclufion : 



Granite, which has been hitherto confidered by naturalifts 

 as being the original or primitive part of the earth, is now 

 found to be pofterior to the Alpine fchiftus ; which fchiftus, 

 being ftratified, is not itfelf original ; though it may be confi- 

 dered, perhaps, as primary, in relation to other ftrata, which, 

 are evidently of a later date. 



The fucceflive operations of the globe, in producing, deftroy- 

 ing and replacing ftrata, for the purpofe of land, are a fub- 

 ject of natural hiftory moft interefting to every theory of the 

 earth. The view of granite which has now been given, forms 

 one great ftep in this enquiry ; and it is connected with fome 

 other very important facts with regard to the fucceffions of 

 ftrata, or a certain order of geological periods, which may be 

 afcertained by the natural hiftory of our minerals. Of this I 

 fhall alfo treat in another place ; and I wifh what I now lay be- 

 fore the Society, to be confidered merely as a notice given of 

 certain new facts and obfervations, which I mean fully to de- 

 fcribe and explain hereafter. 



Vol. Ill, L [Read 



