406 
GENERAL OBSEUVATIOKS 
to melt 01 soften the materials on which it acts, but vio- 
lently heaving them iip in a broken and dislocated state, 
along with fluid granite and trap, through the ocean, 
thereby causing, of course, its waters to flow off towards 
the former land that this takes place with such incon- 
ceivable force and fury as to turn the whole of the former 
continents with their inhabitants into the bottom of the 
sea; — -a new continent, or continents, and islands, are 
thus formed out of the elevated bottom of the ocean, and 
the fishes and apoda turned off from their former quarters, 
to frisk about on that portion of the earth's surface wliich 
formerly belonged to the terrestrial animals, the fate of 
which may be easily conjectured : 
" Occupat hie collem ; cymba sedet alter lidunco ; 
Nat lupus inter oves : fulvos vehit unda leones, 
Unda vchit tigres : nec vires fulminis apro, 
Crura nec ablato pro&unt velocia cervo." 
Such was the creed of the late celebrated Dr IIuxton of 
this place, as illustrated by the late, no less celebrated, 
Professor Playfaie, — -a gentleman, this last, remarkable 
for his many and valuable accomplishments, but for none 
more than for the elegance and felicity with which he al- 
ways expressed himself when he wrote on subjects of natu- 
ral science. His master in geology (I mean Hutton) had 
sublime and extensive views, but he could not clearly ex- 
hibit them to the minds of others. No man ever stood 
more in need of an illustrator, and no man ever found a 
more admirable one than he did in the person of his pupil. 
But what proof have we that a central fire exists ? And 
what proof have we that the materials carried down by the 
rivulets and rivers are ultimately deposited in the bottom 
of the ocean ? I can perceive none, — ^not even of this latter 
position. Everywhere do we see holms, and carses, and 
barsj and deltas, thus formed at the mouths of rivers, but 
