Here, therefore, is an important point
to be determined; for, if it shall appear that much of this melted
matter, analogous to lava, has been forced to flow among the strata
which had been formed at the bottom of the sea, and now are found
forming dry land above its surface, it will be allowed, that we have
discovered the secret operations of nature concocting future land, as
well as those by which the present habitable earth had been produced
from the bottom of the abyss. Here, therefore, we shall at present rest
the argument, with endeavouring to show that such is actually the case.
It appears from Cronstedt's Mineralogy, that the rock-stone, called trap
by the Swedes, the amygdaloides and the schwarts-stein of the Germans,
are the same with the whin-stone of this country. This is also fully
confirmed by specimens from Sweden, sent me by my friend Dr Gahn.
Whatever, therefore, shall be ascertained with regard to our whin-stone,
may be so far generalized or extended to the countries of Norway,
Sweden, and Germany.
The whin-stone of Scotland is also the same with the toad-stone of
Derbyshire, which is of the amygdaloides species; it is also the same
with the flagstone of the south of Staffordshire, which is a simple
whin-stone, or perfect trap.
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