MODIFIED by COMPRESSION. iji 



fioned, the water would eafily find its level without the af- 

 fiftance of any extraordinary fuppofition. The elevation of 

 the land, too, is evinced by what has occafionally happened in 

 volcanic regions, and affords a complete folution of the con- 

 tortion and erection of ftrata, which are almoft univerfclly ad- 

 mitted to have once lain in a plane and horizontal pofition. 



Whatever opinion be adopted as to the mode in which the 

 land and the water have been feparated, no one doubts of the 

 ancient fubmarine fituation of the ftrata. 



An important feries of facts proves, that they were likewife fub- 

 terranean. Every thing indicates that a great quantity of matter 

 has been removed from what now conftitutes the furface of our 

 globe, and enormous depofites of loofe fragments, evidently de- 

 tached from mafTes fimilar to our common rock, evince the action 

 of fome very powerful agent of deftrudtion. Analogy too, leads 

 us to believe, that all the primary rocks have once been covered 

 with fecondary ; yet, in vaft diftricts, no fecondary rock ap- 

 pears. In mort, geologifts feem to agree in admitting the ge- 

 neral pofition, that very great changes of this kind have taken 

 place in the folid furface of the globe, however much they may 

 differ as to their amount, and as to their caufes. 



Dr Hutton afcribed thefe changes to the action, during 

 very long time, of thofe agents, which at this day continue 

 flowly to corrode the furface of the earth ; frofts, rains, the or- 

 dinary floods of rivers, &c. which he conceives to have acted 

 always with the fame force, and no more. But to this opinion 

 I could never fubfcribe, having early adopted that of Saus- 

 sure, in which he is joined by many of the continental 

 geologifts. My conviction was founded upon the infpection 

 of thofe facts in the neighbourhood of Geneva, which he 

 has adduced in fupport of his opinion. I was then convinced, 



Y 2 and 



