HUTTON, JAMES ( 726-97). An eminent British geologist. lie wag born in Edinburgh, and cdueated at the university in that city. After serving a year's apprenticeship a office. he relinquished his plan of joining the legal profession, and entered upon the study of medi sine, taking courses at Edinburgh, Paris, and Leyden. In 1750 he returned to Scotland, and fur several years was engaged in agricultural pursuits. Upon removing to Edinburgh in 1768 he came in contact with Ferguson, Black, and other savants, who encouraged and directed his scientific investigations. The results of a long and careful research into geological processes were formulated in a paper entitled "Theory of the Earth," which lie rend before the Royal So ciety in 1785, and afterwards tImplified and pub lished as The Theory of the Faith, with l'roofs and illustrations (1795). This work, although attracting little notice at the time. established a place for its author among the foremost think ers in the realm of geological science. One of the fundamental principles of liutton's theory was based on the internal heat of the earth, which has shown itself in past ages by the intrusion of molten rocks into the and by upheaval of the superficial strata. This view was com
bated by the followers of Werner, but it is now generally accepted as correct. lie further de veloped the principle that the study of geological phenomena should be based upon observation of changes going on at the present time, and thus in a way originated the doctrine of uniformitarian ism afterwards elaborated and expounded by Lye11. The great value of Ilutton's work was not fully appreciated until several years after his death, when Playfair brought out the "Il lustrations of the Buttonian Theory." Hutton contributed frequently to the "'Transactions of the Royal Society of Edinburgh," and also pub lished several extended works, among the most important of which are: Dissertations on Dif ferent Subjects in .Vatural Philosophy (1792) ; Inrestigation of the Principles • of Knowledge (1794) ; and :1 Dissertation upon the Philosophy of Heat, Light, and Fire (1794).