LTTLL cjN CSATEfiS OF ELETATIOX. 



327 



recent death of the first iEtLStrions pliilosoplier it lia^ lost one of its 

 most powerful supporters, and mmonr even speaks of tiie second as 

 a seceder. in having inclined to the opinion that the ** crater of 

 elevation theory"' is now no longer tenable. 



Since the reading of the a1x»ve paper. Mr. Scrope has supported its 

 arguments by a voluminous paper before the (reological Society. 

 Sir Charles Lyell himself has also deHvered a lecture on the subject 

 at the Royal Institution, and has. in the last ntmiber of the Philoso- 

 phical ^Magazine, published some remarks on Professor C. Piazzi 

 Smyth's supposed proofs of the submarine origia of Teneriffe and 

 other volcanic cones in the Canai'ies. This last brochure was drawn 

 forth by a chapter on geology and volcanic theories, appended to a 

 "Report on the Teneriffe astronomical experiment of 1856" by the 

 Scottish astronomer, in which it was stated that fossil shells had 

 been found upon the slopes of the crater there. As this statement 

 involved points of high theoretical interest, and was made to stand 

 in the report as expressly confirming the " elevation" of the great 

 ci*ater of Teneriffe. Sii' Charles wrote to the Professor to know under 

 what geological circumstances he, or his informants, had detected 

 such shells. It appears, however, that this statement of the fossil 

 sheUs was made entirely upon mere report, and that it is without any 

 foundation. As this was published under the sanction of the Ad- 

 miralty. Sir Charles has felt himself ealled upon to refate it. and 

 has added con*ect details of observations made by himself and Mr. 

 Hartung at Teneriffe and in the islands of G-rand Canary and Palma, 

 which, so far fi^om corroborating the " crater of elevation-hypo- 

 thesis.'' in this instance are directly opposed to it. 



Future observation will now probably add additional testimony 

 to the more reasonable view of the general formation of volcanic 

 cones and craters by eruptions ; and since attention is so thoroughly 

 drawn to the subject there will doubtless be many other writers 

 upon it : but, however numerous or excellent they may be, to Sir 

 Charles Lyell will ever be due the double merit of first detecting 

 the dangerous spread of a false doctrine, and of having had the bold- 

 ness of making the first attack upon it in the face of the support it 

 had received fi*om some of the most eminent of the continental 

 geologists. 



