200 ON THE REVOLUTIONS 



that its form has not been produced by a diluvian action. On 

 the other hand, I found myself surrounded by a set of 

 ridges of alluvial matter possessing a true diluvian character, 

 and several rocks presented themselves, having the larger fea- 

 tures. What gave a peculiar interest to these facts was, that 

 these features agreed with the ridges, in indicating a direction 

 between west and north, or east and south ; that is to say, quite 

 different from that near Edinburgh, but nearly agreeing with 

 what I had observed in the lower extremity of the Frith of 

 Forth. After considerable search, I discovered a rock of 

 sandstone in Torwood, about six miles on this side of Stirling, 

 possessing the diluvian dressing in the highest perfection. 

 This rock is visible upon the south side of the road, just one 

 hundred paces west of Torwood turnpike-gate ; and the dress- 

 ing is most conspicuous close to this, in the neighbouring 

 wood, on the surface of a rock, some square yards of which I 

 laid bare. The direction of this dressing confirms what in a 

 great measure I had inferred from the large features, and from 

 the ridges. Its direction indicates no less than fifty degrees 

 north of west, or south of east, and thus differs very widely 

 from that near Edinburgh, going still farther to the north- 

 ward than what I had observed at the mouth of the Frith of 

 Forth. It has a considerable agreement, however, with this 

 last, and seems to favour the idea just suggested, that the di- 

 rection in the neighbourhood of Edinburgh may have been oc- 

 casioned by the local influence of the estuary, since the direc- 

 tion of the stream before entering it, and after quitting it, is 

 nearly from north-west to south-east. This influence upon the 

 direction of the stream, and on the deposition of loose matters, 

 seems to bear an analogy to that which is exerted, on a small 

 scale, in the abrasion of solid rocks, as seen on the ridge of 

 Corstorphine Hill and at Kingston. 



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