uroit paturer
dans de telles prairies; mais l'industrieux montagnard fait y
faucher[29].

[Note 29: M. de Saussure endeavours to explain those appearances of
transported blocks of granite by another cause; this is a certain
_debacle_ of the waters of the earth, which I do not understand. M. de
Luc again attempts to explain it by violent explosions; I suppose he
means those of a volcano. But he has not given us the evidence upon
which such an opinion may be founded, farther than by saying that those
blocks could not have come there by the natural operations of the
surface. By this must be meant, that, from the nearest summit of
granite, there is not, at present, any natural means by which these
blocks might be transported to that place. But it is not with the
present state of things that we are concerned, in explaining the
operations of a distant period. If the natural operations of the surface
change the shape of things, as is clearly proved by every natural
appearance, Why form an argument against a former transaction, upon the
circumstances of the present state of things? Our author does not
seem to perceive, that, from this mode of reasoning, there is is an
insuperable objection to his violent explosions having been employed in
producing those effects. For, had there been such a cause, the evidence
of this must have remained; if the surface of the earth does not undergo
great changes: If, again, this surface be in time much changed, How can
we judge from the present shape, what might have been the former posture
of things?

This author, indeed, does not allow much time for the natural operations
of the globe to change its surface; but, if things be not greatly
removed from the state in which the violent operations of the globe had
placed them, Why does he not point out to us the source of this great
disorder which he there perceives? From what explosion will be explained
the blocks of granite which are found upon the Jura, and which must have
come from the mass of _Mont Blanc_? If these dispersed blocks of
stone are to be explained by explosion, there must: have been similar
explosions in other countries where there is not the smallest appearance
of volcanic eruptions; for, around all our granite mountains, and I
believe all others, there are found many blocks of granite, traveled at
a great distance, and in all directions.]

"_Oberbruck_, ou nous avions ete la precedente fois, se trouva sur notre
route, et nous