Prev | Current Page 361 | Next

Hutton, James, 1726-1797

"Theory of the Earth, Volume 1 (of 4)"

I know that
shells have been found within the body of veins in Germany; but, a
stratification of those materials in a vein was never heard of before,
so far as I know.]
"Ces _fentes_ se sont faites, et ont ete remplies, dans la _mer_;
puisque les matieres qui les remplissent sont de la classe de ses depots
tres connoissables, et qu'il contiennent des _depouilles marines_. Mais
ce qui embarrasse alors c'est que les autres _filons_ ne soyent pas dans
le meme cas. N'est ce point la encore un indice, que ces _fentes_ out
ete d'abord et principalement remplies de matieres, poussees du fond par
la meme force qui secouoit les montagnes[28].
[Note 28: But what is this power by which matter is to be forced from
the bottom of the sea to the top of the mountains? For, unless we can
form some idea of that power which, as a cause, we ascribe to the
perceived effect, we either say nothing to the purpose, or we employ a
preternatural cause. It is not sufficient to imagine a power capable of
raising from the bottom of the sea the materials deposited in the abyss;
it is also necessary to find a power capable of softening bodies which
are hard, and of thus consolidating those masses which are formed of
loose or unconnected materials.


Pages:
349 350 351 352 353 354 355 356 357 358 359 360 361 362 363 364 365 366 367 368 369 370 371 372 373