Altered rocks in contact with Granite. 109 



that the observation is very imperfect, as "it does not appear whether 

 " the rock, vi^as part of an extensive granitic formation, or only part of 

 " the granitic beds occurring in vi^hat I have termed the * schistose 

 " series;' neither does it appear, that Dr. Malcolmson endeavoured to 

 " observe whether the fossihferous bed was traversed by veins from the 

 " granite, or whether it was metamorphised in any way, or changed 

 " in appearance or mode of aggregation, by association with the bed 

 " of granite." I do not acknowledge the justice of this criticism, as 

 the information I have given on this locality, is as full as was required, 

 or could be obtained. I have stated, that the limestone rock seemed 

 to be altered by the basalt which covered it, and facts are given 

 which rendered it probable, that the granite was connected with 

 other masses of that rock, although it was not visibly continuous. 

 As to granite veins passing through this tertiary limestone, it would 

 have been a fact too deeply interesting to have been overlooked by a 

 less careless person than I acknowledge myself to be ; and with 

 respect to Captain C.'s " schistose series," I cannot allow that others 

 are obliged to adopt either his new language, or his views, either new 

 or old, on such subjects ; although every fact clearly and intelligibly 

 stated, must be taken into consideration by all who follow on the same 

 tract. But to return to Dr. Boase, it was his duty also, to have 

 examined for himself, before he denied that rocks containing fossil 

 remains reach the granite, and are altered by heat ; and when he 

 carries his assertion further, and states that what are called igneous 

 rocks, do not alter the strata into which they enter, it is only going 

 back to the days of the Neptunists, and cannot be replied to without 

 folly. But Dr. Boase when he left off observing, in order that he might 

 write systems, appears also to have ceased at the same time to read, 

 else whence the ignorance displayed in the following passage : " Sup- 

 " pose my general views to prove erroneous, as in the above instance, 

 then I must admit that primary crystalline schists are only secondary 

 " strata, changed by the action of heat ; but in so doing I contend, 

 *' that granite itself is in the same predicament ; that is, that the whole 

 " of the primary rocks have then resulted by the action of fire on 

 " fossiliferous strata. It may come to this, but in the meantime, the 

 " facts are not sufficient to justify our jumping at such a conclusion." 

 Here is a theory proposed as new, which has been advocated by Lyell, 



