upper beds of the formation. There is a mighty advantage to the geologist in this arrangement. When books are packed up in a deep box or chest, we have to raise the upper tier ere we can see the tier below, and this second tier ere we can arrive at a third, and so on to the bottom. But when well arranged on the shelves of a library, we have merely to run the eye along their lettered backs, and we can thus form an acquaintance with them at a glance, which in the other case would have cost us a good deal of trouble.

"Now, in the neighbourhood of this granitic wedge, or wall, the strata are arranged, not like books in a box-such was their original position-but like books on the shelves of a library. They have been unpacked and arranged by the uplifting agent; and the knowledge of them, which could only have been attained, in their first circumstances, by perforating them with a shaft of immense depth, may now be enquired simply by passing over their edges.

A morning's saunter gives us what would have cost, but for the upheaving granite, the labour of a hundred miners for five years.'

"If the highly inclined position of the strata," says Dr. M'Culloch, were not in itself a proof of their elevation, evidences of motion are found in a great number of phenomena. In their curvatures we find proofs of disturbance; we find even more decided evidence to the same purpose in their fractures. But when we see that these fractures are often accompanied by a separation of the parts which were once continuous, that one portion of a stratum occupies a higher or a lower place than another, and that this separation is often attended by a difference in the angle of inclination of the separated parts, we have every proof that can be desired, of an alteration in the positions of stratified rocks since the period at which they were formed or consolidated. . . . . . It is well known that certain marine worms which live in sand, and which inhabit straight tubular shells, invariably penetrate the sand in a vertical direction. Analogous fossils found in the horizontal strata, preserve the same vertical position. But where such strata are inclined, the position of the animal is no longer vertical to the horizon, although it preserves its perpendicular position to the stratum; indicating the change of place which that has undergone since it formed a part of the ocean's bed. The same conclusion follows, from considering the positions of leaves in the strata that accompany coal. In these cases, the flat side of the leaf

+ Old Red Sandstone, pp. 139-141.

is invariably parallel to the plane of the stratum, although it may often be vertical to the horizon; a position, it is sufficiently plain, in which such substances could not have been deposited from water. The general elevation of strata from the bottom of the ocean being thus proved, it remains to enquire," &c. &c.*

These numerous and concurring evidences, to which may be added, with perhaps equally convincing effect, the sectional drawings of suits of formations on Mr. Knipe's geological maps of the British Islands, exhibiting at a view, and in the most faithful manner, the effects of the elevating power upon the stratified masses, will sufficiently testify that the stratified masses are considered to have been moved from the horizontal posture in which they were deposited, to the elevated positions they now occupy, by a force which acted from below upwards. And as they repose on the unstratified rocks, it follows, as an axiom, that the latter must likewise have been moved from where they were formed, before those which overlie them could have been elevated by a force acting in the direction just mentioned. As this direction from below upwards, coincides precisely with that of the centrifugal impetus-originating from rotationwhich would necessarily be impressed on these associated masses, which remained at rest as long as the earth had not been caused to revolve around its axis, we claim as its just privilege; that the dynamic force thus engendered may, for the present, be allowed a place amongst those which are considered competent to have occasioned the removal of the concentric mineral masses from the recumbent posture in which they were formed, to the elevated positions they now occupy; and in the sequel we shall bring forward proof to show, that to this force exclusively must be attributed that stupendous result, and whose successful establishment will prepare the way for clearing up other points from their present uncertainty.

*Geology, vol. i. pp. 88-90.

SECTION VI.

GEOLOGICAL PHENOMENA RESULTING FROM THE EARTH'S

PROTOROTATION.

CHAPTER XX.

Evidences to prove, that the non-rotatory sphere was circumbounded by water-astronomical proof-geological proof. This fact, combined with what was established in previous chapters, leads to the conclusion, that violent movement, therefore much friction, and consequently great heat, would necessarily ensue amongst the rocky masses of the earth's crust. The characteristics of Friction enquired into, and the Breccia which would result, when mineral formations, abounding with calcareous material, were subjected to its influence under water. The great Breccia and Conglomerate formations geologically described, and shown to correspond with that which the Dynamical Theory requires for its perfection, should be found to exist. Some of the more special uses which they were designed to accomplish made manifest. The Coal Measures protected by the Conglomerate and Breccia from fusion and denudation. The nucleii of mountain ranges the resultant foci of heat engendered by friction. Geological proof of this, deduced alike from the mineralogical structure of the rocks composing these elevations, and from the existing symptoms of fusion, evidenced by the altered condition of their contiguous strata.

THE several points which the successful issue of our argument in the last chapter will enable us now to investigate, though numerous, are all equally worthy of notice, while they simultaneously press upon our attention; but we shall follow what may be considered to have been their sequence in the order of time, by endeavouring to prove, first, that the primeval world was enveloped by an illimitable ocean, under whose atmosphereless waters the elevating revolution just established took place. With this view we shall begin, by having recourse to the tenth Theorem, which states-"That according to investigations made by M. de la Place, for the purpose of demon

strating the stability of the equilibrium of the sea, it has been discovered, that the equilibrium of the sea must be stable, and its oscillations continually tending to diminish, if the density of its waters be less than the mean density of the earth; and that its equilibrium would not admit of subversion, unless the mean density of the earth was equal that of water or less.”

Looking more minutely into the evidences which supply this general assertion, we find Professor Playfair thus expressing himself

"La Place has treated a subject connected with the tides, that, so far as we know, has not been entered upon by any author before him. This is the stability of the equilibrium of the sea. A fluid surrounding a solid nucleus may either be so attracted to that nucleus, that when any motion is communicated to it, it will oscillate backwards and forwards till its motion is destroyed by the resistance it meets with, when it will again settle into rest; or it may be in such a state, that when any motion is communicated to it, its vibrations may increase, and become of enormous magnitude. Whether the sea may not, by such means, have risen above the tops of the highest mountains, deserves to be considered; as that hypothesis, were it found to be consistent with the laws of nature, would serve to explain many of the phenomena of natural history. La Place, with this view, has enquired into the nature of the equilibrium of the sea, or into the possibility of such vast undulations being propagated through it. The result is, that the equilibrium of the sea must be stable, and its oscillations continually tending to diminish if the density of its waters be less than the mean density of the earth; and that its equilibrium does not admit of subversion, unless the mean density of the earth was equal to that of water, or less. As we know, from the experiments made on the attraction of mountains, as well as from other facts, that the sea is more than four times less dense than the materials which compose the solid nucleus of the globe are at a medium, the possibility of these great undulations is entirely excluded; and, therefore, says La Place, if, as cannot well be questioned, the sea has formerly covered continents that are now much elevated above its level, the cause must be sought for elsewhere than in the instability of its equilibrium."+

*

* Confirmed by the eighth Theorem.

+ Playfair's Works, vol. iv. pp. 302–305.

Mrs. Somerville confirms this when she asserts that

"It is also necessary for the equilibrium of the ocean, that its density should be less than the mean density of the earth, otherwise the continents would be perpetually liable to inundations from storms and other causes."

And again

"One of the most remarkable circumstances in the theory of the tides is the assurance that, in consequence of the density of the sea being only one-fifth of the mean density of the earth, and the earth itself increasing in density towards the centre, the stability of the equilibrium of the ocean can never be subverted by any physical A general inundation, arising from the mere instability of the ocean, is, therefore, impossible."*

cause.

If, while the impressions arising from these evidences are vividly on the mind, we again refer to the thirteenth Theorem, we shall find it therein recorded, in conformity with this opinion of M. de la Place himself, and on the authority of a host of other witnesses, whose testimony cannot possibly be set aside“That wherever any considerable portion of the earth's surface has been examined by geologists, it has invariably afforded proofs of having been, at one time, submerged in the waters of the ocean."+

Now this evidence appears to be very perplexing, when we take into account what has just been established, with respect to the equilibrium of the ocean, and the impossibility of its overflowing the land, as the two are at present constituted. It places us, as well as M. de la Place, in a dilemma, from which we can be extricated only by one of the two following conclusions; either that those portions of the earth—and it must be remembered, they embrace parts of its whole surface -which afford such unequivocal symptoms of having been formerly submerged in the ocean, have risen above it in detached portions, at different periods, whilst corresponding depressions

Connexion of the Sciences, pp. 56, 114.

It will be remembered, that we have already, in a previous part of this Treatise, had occasion to adduce the evidences pertaining to this Theorem, consequently we do not here recapitulate them.