GEOLOGY. 
immense currents have been caused by the 
opening of fresh gulfs, into which the wa- 
ters have retreated at different peiiods ; 
the last of which being that which reduced 
the waters to their present level. 
Patrin formed the opinion, that in the 
beginning, all the matters which now com- 
pose the exterior part of the globe were 
held in solution, or suspension in a fluid ; 
and that, of these, some were deposited in 
a crystallized state, as the granite, &c. 
whilst those which were not in a state of 
actual solution, formed the different schists 
and other earthy, saline, and metallic 
strata, regularlyand concentrically disposed. 
Whilst thus existing in a soft and yielding 
state, the different substances, by acting on 
each other, he supposes to have passed into a 
state of fermentation, necessarily productive 
of a swelling or raising up, which taking 
place first of all in the granitic and saline 
pasty masses, these were elevated, carrying 
with them, or bursting through, the other 
strata, thus forming the rocks and mountains, 
now existing on the face of the earth. 
That respectable and excellent minera- 
logist, Mr. Kirwan, has zealously endea- 
voured to form a system which may accord 
with the Mosaic account of the creation. 
He supposes the superficial parts of the 
globe to have been in a fluid state, being 
held in solution by water considerably 
heated. From the coalescing and crystal- 
lization of the contents of this solution, the 
various metallic substances, the different 
earths, &c. were deposited, in various com- 
binations, forming, according to the predo- 
minant proportion of the ingredients, gra- 
nite, gneiss, porphyry, and the other pri- 
meval rocks. By the crystallization of 
these immense masses, a prodigious quan- 
tity of heat was generated, even to incan- 
descence, and the oxygen uniting with in- 
flammable air, occasioned a stupendous 
conflagration, by this the solid basis on 
which the chaotic fluid rested, was rent to 
a great extent. From the extrication, by 
this heat, of the oxygen and nitrogen gases, 
the atmosphere was formed ; and from the 
union of the oxygen with ignited carbon, car- 
bonic acid proceeded, which being absorbed 
by calcarious earth, was precipitated in com- 
bination with it, forming the primitive lime- 
stones. The level of the ancient ocean be- 
coming then lowered to the depth of 9000 
feet, fish were created; and the various 
stratified secondary mountains were formed 
within it during its retreat, and after the 
creation of fish. Soon after, ‘the higher 
tracts of land being left uncovered by the 
retreat of the sea to its bed, the land be- 
came supplied with vegetables and animals. 
The deluge, he considers as a miraculous 
effusion of water, both from the clouds and 
from the great abyss, which originated in, 
and proceeded from, the great southern 
ocean below the equator, and which rushing 
into the northern hemisphere, descended 
southwards, and at length spread over the 
face of the whole earth. 
M. de la Metherie, who has investigated 
the subject with much attention, is of opi- 
nion, that all the mountains, vallies, and 
plains, composing the crust of the earth, 
were formed nearly in the state in which 
they now exist, by crystallization of the 
mass of water which surrounded the earth. 
The matters composing the highest moun- 
tains, he shows, have evidently been held 
in solution : the water, therefore, must have 
reached above their summits, and of course 
have stood 18,000 feet, at least, above its 
present level. But this being admitted, it 
becomes necessary to determine what has 
become of the immense quantity of water 
which has disappeared since that period. 
Of this he imagines, that some part has es- 
caped by evaporation, and passed into 
other planets, but that by far the greatest 
part is buried in the immense caverns which 
exist in the interior part of the globe. 
On reviewing the systems which have 
been just enumerated, it is obvious that 
some are so abundant in fanciful conjec- 
ture, and so deficient of probability, as not 
to require any further remark ; whilst in 
others of a more specious appearance, there 
are some points which cannot be allowed 
to their ingenious authors. On these par 
ticular doubtful points, it is thought best 
to offer a few remarks, rather than sepa- 
rately examine each system. With respect 
to crystallization from an aqueous solution, 
a supposition which has not yet been gene- 
rally adopted, it may be remarked, that the 
primitive mountains and vallies give exactly 
that irregularity of appearance, from lofty 
needle-like forms shooting up in some parts, 
and extensive plains existing in others, 
which are observable in cases of crystalli- 
zation on the small scale. It has been ob- 
jected that the secondary mountains do not 
every where cover the primary on which 
they* rest; this circumstance must, in all 
probability, have depended on particidar 
local circumstances, and especially on such 
as would, as in ordinary cases of crystalli- 
zation, direct the formation of crystals more 
