ridge seen transversely, with its
precipice to the spectator; but wherever a rock appears, the uppermost
termination of that rock will be a steep edgy ridge, or a sharp point,
very rarely presenting even a gentle slope on any of its sides, but
usually inaccessible unless encumbered with snow.

These pyramids and wedges split vertically, or nearly so, giving smooth
faces of rock, either perpendicular or very steeply inclined, which
appear to be laid against the central wedge or peak, like planks upright
against a wall. The surfaces of these show close parallelism; their
fissures are vertical, and cut them smoothly, like the edges of shaped
planks. Often groups of these planks, if I may so call them, rise higher
than those between them and the central ridge, forming detached ridges
inclining towards the central one. The planks are cut transversely,
sometimes by graceful curvilinear fissures; sometimes by straight
fissures, which are commonly parallel to the slope of one of the sides
of the peak, while the main direction of the planks or leaves is
parallel to that of its other side, or points directly to its summit.
But the _universal_ law of fracture is--first, that it is clean and
sharp, having a perfectly smooth surface, and a perfectly sharp edge to
all the fissures; secondly, that every fissure is steeply inclined, and
that a horizontal line, or one approaching to it, is an impossibility,
except in some turn of a curve.

Sec. 3. Causing groups of rock resembling an artichoke or rose.

Hence, however the light may fall, these peaks are seen marked with
sharp and defined shadows, indicating the square edges of the planks of
which they are made up, which shadows sometimes are vertical, pointing
to the summit; but are oftener parallel to one of the sides of the peak,
and intersected by a second series, parallel to the other side. Where
there has been much disintegration, the peak is often surrounded with
groups of lower ridges or peaks, like the leaves of an artichoke or a
rose, all evidently part and parcel of the great peak; but falling back
from it, as if it were a budding flower, expanding its leaves one by
one.

Sec. 4. The faithful statement of these facts by Turner in his Alps at
Daybreak.

Now, if I were giving a lecture on geology, and were searching for some
means of giving the most faithful idea possible of the external
appearance caused by this structure of the primary hills, I should throw
m