HABEISON — NOTES ON THE OEIGIN OE THE WORLD. 413 



greater specific weight, such as we know to be liquefied lava, trap, and 

 basalt. Although specifically lighter, the granite crust might for a 

 long time remain in its original position, forming, as it were, the 

 bottom of the superincumbent molten ocean. On such ocean of 

 molten materials would float the scum and scoriae previously alluded 

 to. Of such scorise would be formed the various strata, by erosion 

 and subsequent deposition. Portions of this scoriaceous mass being 

 in immediate contact with the molten materials, might be metamor- 

 phosed into gneiss, without being first redeposited by water ; whilst 

 schists and slates may represent those strata deposited by water and 

 afterwards metamorphosed by heat, through being brought into fresh 

 positions, as a result of convulsive movements. 



This state of things, however, could scarce continue ; as the molten 

 ocean penetrated the granite, or as portions of such granite became 

 loosened and detached, immense fragments would necessarily rise to 

 the surface, causing earthquakes, elevation of mountain-chains, or 

 absolute protrusion of granite peaks, — just as the detached masses were 

 large enough to cause the phenomena, or as the solidified crust was 

 of sufficient thickness to offer resistance to the immensely powerful 

 elevating forces thus acting from beneath. 



It will be remarked that the assumed position of the granite in this 

 theory exactly tallies with the hypothesis which supposes the granite 

 to have been produced under an almost inconceivable amount of pres- 

 sure, whilst the elevating forces thus necessarily generated by hy- 

 draulic agency alone, are so vast as amply to account for the throwing 

 up of any mountain-chain whatever. Nor must it be forgotten that 

 the rising of such a semi-molten mass as the granite, by breaking of 

 the partially consolidated crust, might bring within the influence of 

 the central heat, rocks which, during the period of their aqueous depo- 

 sition had been subjected to a very low temperature, thus accounting 

 both for the deposition and the change by heat of the slaty strata. 



It is not argued that the above suggestions, which the author puts 

 forward with the greatest diffidence, offer an explanation for every 

 observed phenomenon in the earth's structure. Universal theories, 

 like universal medicines, are ever open to suspicion. In the forma- 

 tion of a world it is probable that every known force played its ap- 

 pointed part ; neither is it assumed that continued risings of the 

 granite mass are the causes of modern earthquakes or volcanos. Both 

 of these may be the result of chemical and electrical action. The 

 author simply gives what is, to him at least, a partially new theory, 

 trusting there may be at least one proposition contained in it which, 

 by promoting discussion, may lead geologists one step nearer the 

 truth ; while he is fully prepared to relinquish the hypothesis when- 

 ever future examination, or further discoveries, show it to be false. 



