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Theory Of The Earth, With Proofs And Illustrations: In Four Parts; Volume 3
This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important, and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it. This work is in the "public domain in the United States of America, and possibly other nations. Within the United States, you may freely copy and distribute this work, as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work. Scholars believe, and we concur, that this work is important enough to be preserved, reproduced, and made generally available to the public. We appreciate your support of the preservation process, and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant.
314 pages, Hardcover
First published September 12, 2013
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About the author
James Hutton
162 books8 followersJames Hutton FRSE was a Scottish geologist, physician, chemical manufacturer, naturalist, and experimental agriculturalist. He originated the theory of uniformitarianism — a fundamental principle of geology — that explains the features of the Earth's crust by means of natural processes over geologic time. Hutton's work established geology as a science, and as a result he is referred to as the "Father of Modern Geology".
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September 29, 2024
A "CLASSIC" WORK OF EARLY GEOLOGICAL THEORY
James Hutton (1726-1797) was a Scottish geologist, physician, chemical manufacturer, naturalist, and experimental agriculturalist, who originated the theory of uniformitarianism, and is considered the “Father of Modern Geology.” Although the first two (of four) volumes of Hutton's book were published during his lifetime, this third volume was not published until 1899. [NOTE: Page numbers below refer to a 278-page hardcover edition.]
He observes, "On the south side of the Grampians ... the horizontal strata or flat beds are found broken and disordered by the injection of whinstone, trap, or basaltes... In the alpine country again, the strata are broken and displaced by granite and interjected bodies of porphyry... The analogy of these two things is most remarkable, but the only conclusion ... is this: That whatever be the materials in these two cases, Nature acts upon the same principle in her operations, in consolidating bodies by means of heat and fusion, and by moving great masses of fluid matter in the bowels of the Earth." (Pg. 25-26)
He says of a river, "it is impossible to examine this river, and its many branchings, without being convinced that this district of the globe, as well as every other alpine country, has acquired its present form by the operation of water running upon the surface of the earth; that it has required an indefinite space of time to have hollowed out those valleys; and that the continual tendency of those operations, natural to the surface of the earth, is to diminish the heights of mountains, to form plains below, and to provide soil for the growth of plants." (Pg. 29-30)
He summarizes, "from this view of things, there is no reason to suppose that there is any other system in nature besides that which has now been exposed; a system in which the old contents are wearing away, and new continents forming in the bottom of the sea; and a system in which the subterranean power of fire, or heat, co-operates with the action of water upon the surface of the Earth, for the restoration of that order of things which is necessarily lost in the maintaining of a living world---a world beautifully calculated for the growth of plants and nourishment of animals." (Pg. 87-89)
About the formation of mountains, he argues, "the present Theory has attempted to explain all this upon the principles of natural philosophy, carefully compared with the various appearances of the mineral regions, and perfectly supported with natural history, so far as every operation, required in the production of our mountains and our land, has been actually observed, as a thing really taking place in this world, and therefore not a thing created by the imagination." (Pg. 157)
He states, "For so long as nature is acknowledged as being uniform, and as observing rule, the process of granite in the natural history of this globe, will be certainly established upon a single example, if that be unexceptionable, and it if not be invalidated by the opposite testimony of any other. If, on the contrary, anyone should allege that nature is not to be acknowledged as regular and steady, the question then would not be concerning the credit due to natural history which nobody disbelieves, but sceptical opinion with regard to the truth of human knowledge; and this is an objection which cannot be answered in a physical dissertation." (Pg. 197-198)
He concludes, "Thus the Theory of the Earth, so far as founded upon the necessary destruction of the solid land above the level of the sea, and the interchanging of sea and land, will receive that support, from the particular examination of this coast of Scotland, which is has from the general survey of all the coasts upon the globe. In like manner, so far as there is every reason to attribute to the operation of heat and fusion, the consolidation of the original strata of loose materials which compose the island of Arran; and so far as the great invasions of those strata from below, by matter in the fluid state of fusion, gives reason to conclude that the bottom of the sea had been thus raised above the level of its surface, the Theory of the Earth, founded upon those principles, is confirmed from the natural history of Arran." (Pg. 266-267)
This book will be of great interest to anyone studying the history and development of geological theory.
James Hutton (1726-1797) was a Scottish geologist, physician, chemical manufacturer, naturalist, and experimental agriculturalist, who originated the theory of uniformitarianism, and is considered the “Father of Modern Geology.” Although the first two (of four) volumes of Hutton's book were published during his lifetime, this third volume was not published until 1899. [NOTE: Page numbers below refer to a 278-page hardcover edition.]
He observes, "On the south side of the Grampians ... the horizontal strata or flat beds are found broken and disordered by the injection of whinstone, trap, or basaltes... In the alpine country again, the strata are broken and displaced by granite and interjected bodies of porphyry... The analogy of these two things is most remarkable, but the only conclusion ... is this: That whatever be the materials in these two cases, Nature acts upon the same principle in her operations, in consolidating bodies by means of heat and fusion, and by moving great masses of fluid matter in the bowels of the Earth." (Pg. 25-26)
He says of a river, "it is impossible to examine this river, and its many branchings, without being convinced that this district of the globe, as well as every other alpine country, has acquired its present form by the operation of water running upon the surface of the earth; that it has required an indefinite space of time to have hollowed out those valleys; and that the continual tendency of those operations, natural to the surface of the earth, is to diminish the heights of mountains, to form plains below, and to provide soil for the growth of plants." (Pg. 29-30)
He summarizes, "from this view of things, there is no reason to suppose that there is any other system in nature besides that which has now been exposed; a system in which the old contents are wearing away, and new continents forming in the bottom of the sea; and a system in which the subterranean power of fire, or heat, co-operates with the action of water upon the surface of the Earth, for the restoration of that order of things which is necessarily lost in the maintaining of a living world---a world beautifully calculated for the growth of plants and nourishment of animals." (Pg. 87-89)
About the formation of mountains, he argues, "the present Theory has attempted to explain all this upon the principles of natural philosophy, carefully compared with the various appearances of the mineral regions, and perfectly supported with natural history, so far as every operation, required in the production of our mountains and our land, has been actually observed, as a thing really taking place in this world, and therefore not a thing created by the imagination." (Pg. 157)
He states, "For so long as nature is acknowledged as being uniform, and as observing rule, the process of granite in the natural history of this globe, will be certainly established upon a single example, if that be unexceptionable, and it if not be invalidated by the opposite testimony of any other. If, on the contrary, anyone should allege that nature is not to be acknowledged as regular and steady, the question then would not be concerning the credit due to natural history which nobody disbelieves, but sceptical opinion with regard to the truth of human knowledge; and this is an objection which cannot be answered in a physical dissertation." (Pg. 197-198)
He concludes, "Thus the Theory of the Earth, so far as founded upon the necessary destruction of the solid land above the level of the sea, and the interchanging of sea and land, will receive that support, from the particular examination of this coast of Scotland, which is has from the general survey of all the coasts upon the globe. In like manner, so far as there is every reason to attribute to the operation of heat and fusion, the consolidation of the original strata of loose materials which compose the island of Arran; and so far as the great invasions of those strata from below, by matter in the fluid state of fusion, gives reason to conclude that the bottom of the sea had been thus raised above the level of its surface, the Theory of the Earth, founded upon those principles, is confirmed from the natural history of Arran." (Pg. 266-267)
This book will be of great interest to anyone studying the history and development of geological theory.
Displaying 1 of 1 review