368 
SECOND REPORT— 1832 . 
superimposita diversas prsecipitationum vices atque intervalla 
testantur.” Thus, he observes, we may recognise a double 
origin of the rocky masses, the one by refrigeration from igneous 
fusion, (which, as we have seen, he considered principally to be 
assignable to the primary and fundamental rocks,) the other by 
concretion from aqueous solution:—“Lnde jam duplex origo 
intelligitur primorum corporum, una, cum ab ignis fusione re- 
frigescerent,altera, cumreconcrescerent ex solutione aquarum.” 
We have here distinctly stated the great basis of every scientific 
classification of rock formations. By the repetition of similar 
causes (i.e. disruption of the crust and consequent inundations,) 
frequent alternations of new strata were produced, until at length, 
these causes having been reduced to a condition of quiescent 
equilibrium, a more permanent state of things emerged :—“ Re- 
deunte mox simili causa strata subinde alia aliis imponerentur, 
et facies teneri adhuc orbis ssepius novata est.” Have we not 
here clearly indicated, the data on which what may be termed 
the chronological investigation of the series of geological pheno¬ 
mena must ever proceed ? But I would particularly invite to 
the following clause the attention of those writers of the present 
day, who appear to assume it as an essential condition of their 
theories, that the same physical causes can never, under any 
former circumstances, have acted with more intense energy than 
they actually exert:—“Donee quiescentibus causis, atque sequi- 
libratis, consistentior emergeret rerum status.” 
The beginning of the following section is very remarkable, 
as exhibiting a clear anticipation of the importance and of the 
prospects of the new science, of which he foresaw the dawn :— 
“Hsec de incunabulis nostri orbis seminacontinent scientiae novae 
quam Geograpliiam Naturalem appelles.” Leibnitz proceeds 
even distinctly to indicate the line of future research into the 
geographical distribution and extension of the various forma¬ 
tions, which might be expected to place this new science on a 
firm basis :—“ Rectius tamen omnia definient posteri, ubi curi- 
ositas mortalium eo processerit, ut per regiones procurrentia 
soli genera et strata describant .” And then, after making judi¬ 
cious remarks on the distinctions of general and local causes, 
he modestly and prudently adds, that before we are able to 
determine to which of these the phenomena we observe are to 
be attributed, we must wait patiently until the whole surface of 
the planet shall have been more accurately examined :—“ sed 
quid privatis imputandum sit, aut pnblicis causis, facilius ali- 
quando statuet posteritas, explorata melius humani generis 
sede.” How much of the Wernerian doctrine of universal for¬ 
mations would not a proper attention to this caution have 
