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bowels of the earth like the Monte di Cenere, the ifland 
of Santorino, 8cc. If they form integral parts of a con- 
tinued chain, as it is natural to fuppofe, is it not even 
abfurd to imagine, that they can have had fuch an ori- 
gin ? Is it not, on the contrary, rather to be prefumed, 
that channels only have been opened along this chain, 
by different explofions, where thefe volcanos refpe6tively 
exift ; and that the fides of thefe channels form integral 
parts of its original ftrudfure, as in the cafe of mount Ve- 
fuvius before remarked, and which here feems to receive 
the ftrongeft confirmation. For however the eruptions 
of the volcanos of the Andes may have loaded their fides 
and fummits in particular parts ; yet furely inferior maffes 
exift of a much prior origin, and whofe continuity fuffi- 
ciently feems to prove, that fuch eruptions are, relatively, 
only accidental phaenomena. This reafoning is, how- 
ever, grounded upon the fuppofition, that the Andes 
form a continued chain, like that of other fimilar moun- 
tains; and, as I prefume, they do. From the preceding 
obfervations it feems therefore evident, that whether vul- 
canic mountains preferve, or not, veftiges of their ancient 
and primitive ftate, or in whatfoever manner they ap- 
pear to have been newly organized ; few of them feem 
to have been intirely thrown up from the bowels of the 
earth, like the Monte di Cenere, 8cc. On the contrary, 
they moftly appear to have pre-exifted in another ftate ; 
and to have fuffered by fire only locally, and more or lefs 
partially, of ^yhich I have given fufiicient proofs; or, 
having afforded only paffages to explofions and eruiFions, 
are 
