The system of Dr. Hutton resembles, in many points, that which has been just noticed ; but its several parts are better connected, and it certainly possesses, al.
though in its tendency it is highly excep tionable, a more prepossessing appear ance, since it ascribes the formation of continents, of mountains, &c. not to accidental occurrences, but to the ope ration of regular and uniform causes ; making the decay of one part subservient to the restoration of another, by succes sive reproductions. Thus he supposes this globe to be regulated by a system of decay and renovation, and that these are effected by certain processes which bear a uniform relation to each other. The so lid matter of the earth, especially of the rocks and high lands, he supposes to be perpetually separating by the reiterated action of air and water, and when thus de. tached, carried by the streams and rivers, and then deposited in the beds of the ocean. From these deposits, the various strata of our earth are supposed to be formed, obtaining their consolidation from the action of sub-marine fires ; which, be ing placed at immense depths, must ope rate on these stratifieel depositions under the circumstance of vast pressure ; by which volatilization must be prevented, and such changes produced, as would not otherwise be effected by the power of heat. The expansive power of subterra neous fire is called also in to explain, by the elevation of strata, their various posi tions. Thus, while the ocean is in one part removed by the accumulation and the elevation of strata, fresh receptacles are forming for it on other spots, where new strata will be deposited, rendered solid, and elevated.
According to this system, therefore, in the present world, which is made up of the fragments of those which preceded it, the materials are arranging for the forma tion of its successor ; the system mani festing, as its author avowed, neither ves tige of a beginning, nor prospect of an end.
Having thus sketched the outlines of the most interesting of the systems, which suppose he formation of this globe to have chiefly depended on the agency of fire, we shall now proceed to take a view of those in which the same effect is de scribed as having been produced by the influence of water.
Woodward, with too little attention to facts, well known at the period at which he wrote, supposed that the solid parts of the earth were arranged in strata, accord. ing to their degrees of specific gravity ; the water which had held them in solu tion having afterwards retreated to the grand abyss, which he supposed to exist xn the centre. After some time, God or dained that the crust should break and fall into the abyss, and that the water should cover the surface. By the great solvent
powers of this water, he supposed that every thing was again dissolved, and that afterwards they were again precipitated in concentric layers. The surface was then supposed to have been again broken, by which the waters again reached the centre, and the broken surface yielded those inequalities which now exist.
De Luc conceived, that in the begin ning the sun did not exist in a luminous state, and that the earth, not feeling its influence, was frozen ; but that, as the sun diffused its rays, the ice on the earth's surface became thawed, and penetrating inwards, dissolved the earth and other frozen matters to the depth of several leagues below the surface. But the thaw having reached this point, he supposes that the dissolved substances became either crystallized or precipitated, and that as they solidified they formed the pri mitive crust of the earth. After this, orga nized beings were created, many of which became involved in new strata, (the secon dary) which were now formed at the bot tom of the ocean ; and the thawing of the internal parts of the globe continuing, ca vities were formed, in consequence of the thawed substances possessing less space than they did whilst frozen. The whole of the crust, thus losing its support, stink partially, at different periods, and the ex ternal water rushed in to fill the cavities which existed, and thus caused a conside rable diminution of the waters which co vered the earth ; whilst, from the over turned fragments, arose the irregularities of the earth's present surface Led by the observation that the Alpine Mountains were frequently composed of strata obliquely disposed, Saussure ima gined that the surface of the globe, form ed by successive depositions and crystalli zations, was originally covered by the rai cient ocean ; but that the crust bursting by the expansive force of or of elas tic fluids, the interior or primitive parts of the crust were turned outwards, and supported by those of secondary forma tion. By the rapid retreat of the waters into the cavities thus formed, he accounts for the enormous blocks, now lying in plains far distant from the rocks from which they were separated. After this retreat of the waters, he supposes that plants and animals were formed ; and that since that period several immense cur rents have been caused by the opening of fresh gulfs, into which the waters have re treated at different periods ; the last of which being that which reduced the wa ters to their present level.