Illustrations of the Huttonian Theory of the Earth

Since § 134 appeared on page 143 and again on page 147, the Section number on pages 147 and all succeeding were incremented. The Table of Contents was also incremented respectiv...

Physical cause of the earth's oblate figure not obvious from its present condition, § 429. How explained by the Neptunists, § 430. Examination of their solution, § 431, 432. Con...

This is not all, however; for, even if this difficulty were to be passed over, it would still be required to explain, how the water, which, together with the matter which it hel...

Here the theorists who consider water as the sole agent in the mineralization of fossils, are indeed delivered from one difficulty, but it is only that they may be harder presse...

47. From all, therefore, that relates to the position of the strata, I think I am justified in affirming, that their disturbance and removal from the place of their original for...

68. To the same excellent geologist we are indebted for the knowledge of an analogous fact, attendant on the passage of whinstone veins through coal strata. As the beds of stone...

86. Neither can it be said that the existence of subterraneous heat is a principle assumed without any evidence, but that of the geological facts which it is intended to explain...

106. In these instances, chalk and pudding-stone, by containing in them parts infinitely less destructible than their general mass, have, after they are worn away, left behind t...

126. It is impossible to look back on the system which we have thus endeavoured to illustrate, without being struck with the novelty and beauty of the views which it sets before...

137. The vegetable origin of coal seems to be sufficiently proved by the reasoning in § 5. and 6.; and that reasoning will appear still more satisfactory, from what is said at §...

Among the most indurated rocks that compose the mountains of this island, many are arenaceous. Thus, on the western coast of Scotland, the great body of high and rugged mountain...

166. Now, this reasoning is not applicable to Dr Hutton's hypothesis of subterraneous heat, because it is grounded on experiments, where that very separation of the volatile and...

Thus also the argument by which the Neptunists would connect the creation of fish with the beginning of the secondary mountains, falls entirely to the ground. Indeed, it is stra...

But this appearance of success vanishes, when the elevation and disturbance of the strata are more minutely examined, and are found to include waving and inflection, in a great...

212. The large specimens of native iron found in Siberia and Peru, mentioned above, § 51, are among the most curious facts in the natural history of metals. It has been doubted,...

231. The fact described by De Luc, and referred to at § 55, may, for what we know of it, admit of being explained in two ways. The great wedge of rock which appears to be insula...

246. It will no doubt be thought singular, that the same mineralogist, whom we have just seen exerting his ingenuity in defence of the volcanic system, should now appear equally...

257. The basaltic rock, just described, is also covered, at least partly, with strata perfectly similar to those that lie under it. Now, it appears altogether unaccountable, tha...

279. The second kind of granite vein, is one which proceeds visibly from a mass of that rock, and penetrates into the contiguous strata. The importance of this class of veins, f...

296. What exists in two instances may exist in many, and, after these observations, I should be guilty of great inconsistency, in refusing to assent to the accounts of Pallas, D...

313. A great part of the Grampian mountains is on the south side of the line just mentioned, but hardly any granite is found in this division of them, except such veins as those...

327. Something of this kind may have taken place in the track of the Rhone, and may have produced the Leman Lake. It is not impossible, that, at a very remote period, the Rhone...

345. The supply of gravel and _cailloux roulés_, for the plains extended at the feet of primitive mountains, is doubtless in many cases much increased by the pudding-stone, inte...

361. Some valleys are so particularly constructed, as to carry with them a still stronger refutation of the existence of a _debacle_. These are the longitudinal valleys, which h...

373. Currents are no doubt the great agents in diffusing the detritus of the land over the bottom of the sea. These have been long known to exist; but it is only since the later...

The fact here stated, that mariners, when navigation was more imperfect than it is now, had very frequent recourse to this method, and that they still use it occasionally, is ve...

401. We have concluded from the facts stated above, that the level of the sea rises in the Mediterranean, and sinks in the more northern latitudes; and thence some have suspecte...

But by what means can we account for the carcase of a rhinoceros being buried in the earth, on the confines of the polar circle? Shall we ascribe it to some immense torrent, whi...

431. First, let us suppose that the fluidity of the earth, or of the external crust of it, at least to a certain depth, proceeded from a solution of the whole in the waters of t...

444. In the system of Saturn, we have a great deviation from the general order, which, nevertheless, has led to a very unexpected verification of some of the conclusions deduced...

459. It is therefore hurtful to the progress of physical science to represent observation and theory as standing opposed to one another. Bergman has said, "Observationes veras q...