VIC IN IT 'T of EDINBURGH. 409 



difcover a language, which, if fiudied with due attention, can- 

 not fail, I think, to become intelligible, and carry conviction to 

 thofe, who choofe to reafbh impartially on the fubject. 



In the writings of Dv Hutton, we do not meet with descrip- 

 tions of particular diflricts, his object being rather to eflablifh 

 a general theory, by the. particular facts which thefe diflricts 

 afforded, 



We cannot, therefore, look to him for a mineralogical ac- 

 count of the neighbourhood of Edinburgh ; and we have to re- 

 gret, that no other geologilt has yet undertaken that talk. 



In a (hort notice, in the Appendix of a work on another 

 county, by Profeflbr Jameson, this vicinity is mentioned as 

 principally belonging, to what is termed the Coal Formation by 

 Werner, which, according to the fyfteni of that celebrated na- 

 turalift, forms part of the Flcetz rocks. 



To render thefe terms intelligible to the general reader, it is 

 neceflary to give fome explanation, as, without a conliderable 

 knowledge of the fyftem to which they exclufively belong, they 

 muft be totally incomprehenfible. 



Werner is the only perfon, who has attempted a regular ar- 

 rangement of rocks ; an arduous undertaking, which I have no 

 doubt he has accomplimed, with all the accuracy the fubject was 

 fufceptible of, and fo far as the country he examined allow- 

 ed *. 



But it appears very evident, that the facts he met with were 

 fuch, that, in confequence of the hypothefis he had previoufly 

 thought proper to adopt, it became necefTary to invent a theo- 



Vol.VI. P. II. 3F ry 



* Links from other quarters, having heen fubfequently added to his forma* 

 tion-fuites, by his pupils. 



