author, is this.
First, there is no distinction to be made of what is termed primary and
secondary mountains, with regard to the position of their strata; every
different species of stratum, from the stratified granite and quartzy
_schistus_ of the Alps to the _oolites_ of the Jura and Saleve, being
found in every respect the same; whether this shall be supposed as
arising from their original formation, or, according to the present
theory, from a subsequent deplacement of strata formed originally in a
horizontal situation.

Secondly, it appears that, in all those alpine regions, the vertical
position of strata prevails; and that this appearance, which seems to
be as general in the alpine regions of the globe as it is here in the
mountainous regions of the Alps, has been brought about both by the
fracture and flexure of those masses, which, if properly strata, must
have been originally extended in planes nearly horizontal. Whereas, in
descending from that mountainous region towards the more level country
of France, the same changes in the natural position of strata are
observed, with this difference, that here they are in a less degree. Now
that those vertical strata had been originally formed at the bottom
of the sea is evident from this author's observation, which has been
already referred to (vol. 1st, page 23).

Thirdly, in all those accurate observations of a naturalist, so well
qualified for this purpose, there appears nothing but what is perfectly
consistent with such a cause as had operated by slow degrees, and
softened the bodies of rocks at the same time that it bended them into
shapes and positions inconsistent with their original formation, and
often almost diametrically opposite to it; although there appeared to
our author an insurmountable difficulty in ascribing those changes to
the operation of subterranean fire, according to the idea hitherto
conceived of that agent.

This grand mineral view of so large a tract of country is the more
interesting, in that there has not occurred the least appearance of
volcanic matter, nor basaltic rock, in all that space, where so great
manifestation is made of those internal operations of the globe by
which strata had been consolidated in their substance, and erected into
positions the most distant from that in which they had been formed.

It is peculiarly satisfactory to me, and I hope also to my readers,
to have the observations of so able a philosopher and so dil