40 
they are found ; and of the substances, of which both they, and the 
fossils themselves, are formed. 
The globe which we inhabit, presents, every where, a surface, 
more or less irregular. In some places, gentle risings and declivi- 
ties only are found : in others, the elevations are vast and lofty ; and 
are accompanied by proportionate valleys. In some parts, the dry 
land, interrupted only by slight intersections, the currents of rivers, 
stretches into immense continental tracts ; whilst in others, pro- 
digious excavations, of the substance of the earth, serve as the 
receptacles of immense oceans of water. These, it is allowed, ex- 
ceed, in the sum of their extent, that of the dry land ; and bear a 
very near proportion, in their depth, to the height of the loftiest 
mountains. 
Mountains are with propriety, divided into primitive, or prime- 
val ; and secondary, or epizootic. The primitive and secondary 
mountains differ, not only in their composition, but even their 
form. 
The primitive mountains are composed of granites, and of stones 
of the granitic class, of porphyry, jasper, serpentine, sand-stone, 
trap, and sometimes, but more rarely, of lime-stone, fluors, gypsum. 
See. These substances, sometimes, lay in strata; but, most fre- 
quently, they are found in huge blocks ; thus a granite mountain, 
about thirty miles from the Cape of Good Hope, called the pearl 
DIAMOND, rises out of the ground, to the height of about 400 feet, 
being half a mile in circumference ; and formed of a single block 
of granite. These mountains never cover secondary mountains, 
but are often covered by them. They are commonly the highest 
ridges in any chain, and terminate, generally, more narrow and 
sharp, than the secondary. 
The most distinguishing character of these mountains, is a cir- 
cumstance which particularly demands our attention — no organic 
