246 
which, in general, marks the observations of this celebrated chemist, 
is also discoverable in the explanation he offers of this process of 
nature. 
The supposition of the separation of oil from the mass of decom- 
posing vegetables is not sufficiently supported by the facts which 
manifest themselves, during the resolution of vegetable matters, to 
allow it to form the basis of a system, intended to explain this 
extensive and mysterious operation. For if such a separation of 
the vegetable oils were even admitted, could the quantity of a 
principle which vegetables, in general, possess so sparingly, be con- 
sidered as sufficient to account for the immense masses in which this 
substance is known to exist ? 
Yours, &c. 
LETTER XXIV. 
INQUIRY RESPECTING THE ORIGIN OF COAL CONTINUED HYPO- 
THESIS PROPOSED MOSAIC ACCOUNT OF THE DELUGE OBJEC- 
TIONS AGAINST UNIVERSALITY OF THE DELUGE CHANGES 
THUS EFFECTED.. VEGETABLE MATTER DISPOSED IN SITU- 
ATIONS IN WHICH COAL NOW EXISTS. 
I HAVE been highly entertained by a letter from our friend Winton, 
in consequence of your having shown him my account of the various 
systems respecting the formation of coal. Indeed, his remarks 
