136 
In consequence of various beds which were once conti- 
guous having been elevated or depressed irregularly, it 
follows that the strata of which these beds are composed 
must be broken and dislocated. If the same strata have 
been repeatedly elevated and depressed, we should find that 
the various fractures produced all descriptions of forms 
and appearance without any regularity. The planes of 
cleavage would show signs of repeated rubbing and 
scratching, or the respective fractures would assume one 
form for elevation, and another for subsidence. If the 
surface soil has always sunk nearer to the earth's centre 
we should have a larger area attempting to accommodate 
itself to a smaller surface, consequently there would be a 
lapping over of the various beds at the lines of fracture, 
whilst none of the lower deposits could ever come to the 
surface. First, because there must have been a contraction 
of the lower strata to admit of the upper sinking. Secondly, 
because the superficial area of the strata on the surface 
would, owing to the depression, have to arrange itself to the 
smaller superficies, and consequently there would be no 
opening for the lower strata to protrude through. If the 
surface soil has been continually elevated by the action of 
forces acting from the central portions of the earth, the 
various strata would be separated by short intervals, which 
would contain matter forced upwards from probably the 
expanded rocks themselves. Also there would be great 
horizontal distances between beds which were formerly 
connected with each other. 
Now it is a well known fact that the planes of cleavage 
exhibit only one kind of action. Professor Phillips has 
observed this, and has mentioned in his Geological Treatise, 
page 40, vol. 1, that " an examination of the smaller and 
larger * faults' where their planes can be clearly seen appears 
to show that only one kind of action has been impressed 
