8 minerals. 
3. The third of Marhie, with marine petrifactions imbedded, and 
often extraneous matter. 
4. The fourth of Schiji. 
5. The fifth and upperniofl of Roch, often of vaftbulk. 
IT is palpable to common obfervationj that the ocean is the mother 
of the earth. 
a. The waters of ocean, made turbid by nitrous flrowers, are preci- 
pitated and cryftallized into fand which covers the bottom of the fca. 
b. The ocean is here and there in vaft patches, overfpread with the 
Fucusnatans, caufing tranquility on its fiiiface, unlefs when aoi- 
tated by variable winds. 
c. The foil from decayed Fuci b) gradually dtfcends, being lighter 
than fand a), while this marine vegetable gradually dilates itfelf 
into a floating meadow. 
d. Marine Worms, Mol ufcse, Tcftaceous Animals, Lithophytes and 
Zoophytes, Fifhes with their floating eggs, and Sea-birds, whofc 
formation renders them unfit for flight, feed under this marine mea- 
dow of Fuctis c). 
e. Under the waters in affateof tranqui’ity b), is fhowered down an 
argillaceous feuimeiit with the calcareous liiellsd) of gradually cor- 
rupting worms, till an elevated accumulation is formed parallel 
with the furface of the fea, while its prelfure moving the waters b), 
repels the marine fubltances around it d). 
f. For the formation of Rock, according to its own law's, the fea 
firft cads up vail maifes of Fuci, which moulder into foil, clothino- 
the naked earth at the bottom with an arenaceous covering, at firlt 
eafily blown about wh- n dry, and w' hen mixed concreting into gra- 
vel and ultimately into rocks. 
g. By a long fucceliion of ages therefore, and by a perennial quiefcence 
of feafons, 
1. Sand a) is concreted into Sand-Jlone i), varioufly but properly cleft. 
2. Soil cj is cemented into SchiJl a}, lamellous and conbuftible. 
3. Clay ej is indurated into Marble 3) congulated by worms. 
4. Soil f} is cemented into an upper ffratum of Schiji 4), lamellous 
and combuflible tike the former. 
5. Sand f) is concreted into Gravel 5), with a mixture of other 
fubllances. , 
6. This again is concreted into fmaller floncs, thefe into larger, and 
thefe lalt into rocks; till at length, the waters of the fea gradually 
fubfiding, there appears a mountain : nor can the highell rocks float 
upon an argillaceous furface, while, before it became calcified 
marine worms continue their growth in it. '1 hat the higheft 
rocks therefore are the genuine offspring of time, while all was 
filence, themfclves fufficiently declare, “ Such arc the mutations 
produced by the lapfe of time.”t ® 
f Luc. xii, 40. 
