Volcanic Theory* 



515 



much more satisfactory in the case of granite than in that of green- 

 stone. And upon the whole, I cannot see why the evidence in favor 

 of the Vulcanian production of granite is not fully as strong as it is 

 in respect to any of the trap rocks. But as to the origin of the latter 

 there is scarcely any diversity of opinion. We may then safely pre- 

 dict that a like uniformity will soon prevail in respect to granite 

 Indeed, we are informed on the highest authority, that in Great Brit" 

 ain this uniformity of views already exists. Five years ago, Dr. Fit. 

 ton, President of the Geological Society, said : " In the specula tive 

 department of Geology, nothing has been of late more remarkable 

 with reference to its history in this country, than the universal adop 

 tion of a modified Volcanic theory, and the complete subsidence, or 

 almost total oblivion, of the Wernerian and Neptunian hypotheses ; 

 — so that what, but a few years since, was by some considered as 

 hardihood to propose in the form of conjecture, seems now to be es- 

 tablished nearly with the evidence of fact. It is no longer denied, 

 that volcanic power has been active during all the revolutions which 

 the surface of the globe has undergone, and has probably been itself 

 the cause of many of them ; and that our continents have not merely 

 been shaken by some mighty subterraneous force, but that strata, orig- 

 inally horizontal, have thus been raised, shattered, and contorted, and 

 traversed, perhaps repeatedly, by veins of fluid matter ; — operations 

 which have produced phenomena, so nearly resembling those of vol- 

 canic agency, that to have so long disputed the identity of their cause, 

 is one of the most remarkable proofs in the annals of philosop hichis- 

 tory, of the power of hypothesis in disturbing or concealing truth."* 

 Brongniart and Beudant also, distinguished professors of geology 

 in Paris, and until recently Wernerians, in their Report on a Me- 

 moir of Elie de Beaumont, presented to the Acadamy of Sciences in 

 1829, remark as follows ; " The Memoir of M. de Beaumont exhibits 

 certainly one of the newest,boldest,and most ingenious theories which 

 have been, proposed for a long time. It seems even to demolish 

 those theories which have the honorable prejudice of an illustrious 

 name (Werner) on their side, as well as the general opinion, and 

 which have been adopted by many of the met ibers of this Academy, t 



* Anniversary Address, Feb. 15 th. 1828. 

 t Rapport, &c, 17, 



