Geology & Mineralogy, Considered with Reference to Natural Theology, Volume II, 1836

William Buckland

• Publisher: Routledge
• Year: 2018
• ISBN:
  9781136963551
• Edition: 1
• Topic: Biological Sciences
• Subtopic: Evolution
• Index: Biological Sciences

Moving away from his earlier belief in a short, catastrophic history of the Earth, this volume shows how Buckland envisages instead progressive change as the Earth gradually cooled as it was prepared for human occupation. Extinct creatures did not die out because they were poorly designed; God loved the dinosaurs and had adapted them to their various circumstances.

Explanation of The Plates

Introductory Notice, and Description of the Geological Phenomena illustrated by Plate I.

PLATE 1,

Is an imaginary Section constructed to express, by the insertion of names, and colours, the relative positions of the most important classes, both of unstratified and stratified rocks, as far as they have yet been ascertained. It is founded on many series of accurate observations, on several lines taken across Europe, between the British islands and the Mediterranean Sea. Although no single straight line exhibits every formation complete in the full order of succession here represented, no fact is inserted for which authority cannot be found. The near approximation of this synoptic representation to the facts exhibited by an actual section, may be estimated by comparing it with the admirable section across Europe, published by Mr. Conybeare in the Report of the Proceedings of the British Association for the Advancement of Science, 1832, and with his sections of England, in Phillips and Conybeare’s Geology of England and Wales.

The chief merit of the above Section is due to the Talents of Mr. Thomas Webster; it is founded on a more simple section which has for several years been used by him in his lectures, and which exhibits the relations of the Granitic and Volcanic rocks to the stratified formations, and to one another, more intelligibly than I have ever seen expressed elsewhere. This original drawing by Mr. Webster has formed the basis of the present enlarged and improved section, into which many important additions have been introduced by the joint suggestions of Mr. Webster and myself. The selection and arrangement of the animals and plants is my own; they have been drawn and engraved (together with a large proportion of the woodcuts) by Mr. J. Fisher, of St. Clements, Oxford.

For facility of reference, I have numbered the principal groups of stratified rocks represented in the section, according to their most usual order of succession; and I have designated by letters the crystalline or unstratified rocks, and the injected masses and dykes, as well as the metallic veins, and lines of fracture, producing dislocations or faults. The crowded condition in which all the Phenomena represented in this section, are set together, does not admit of the use of accurate relative proportions, between the stratified rocks and the intruded masses, veins, and dykes by which they are intersected. The adoption of false proportions is, however, unavoidable in these cases, because the veins and dykes would be invisible, unless expressed on a highly exaggerated scale. The scale of height throughout the whole section is also infinitely greater than that of breadth. The plants and animals also are figured on no uniform scale.

The extent of the different formations represented in this section, taking their average width as they occur in Europe, would occupy a breadth of five or six hundred miles. A scale of heights, at all approaching to this scale of breadth, would render the whole almost invisible. The same cause makes it also impossible to express correctly the effect of vallies of denudation, which are often excavated through strata of one formation into those of another subjacent formation.

As it would encumber the section to express Diluvium, wherever it is present, it is introduced in one place only, which shews its age to be more recent than the newest of the Tertiary strata; it is found also lodged indiscriminately upon the surface of rocks of every formation.

Granite.

In our early Chapters we have considered the Theory which refers unstratified rocks to an igneous Origin, to be that which is most consistent with all the known Phenomena of Geology, and the facts represented in the Section now before us are more consistent with the Postulates of this Hypothesis, than with these of any other that has hitherto been proposed. I have, therefore, felt it indispensable to adopt its language, as affording the only terms by which the facts under consideration can be adequately described.

Assuming that Fire and Water have been the two great Agents, employed in reducing the surface of the globe to its actual condition, we see, in repeated operations of these agents, causes adequate to the production of those irregular Elevations and Depressions Of the fundamental Rocks of the Granitic series, which are delineated in the lower Region of our Section, as forming the basis of the entire Superstructure of stratified Rocks.

Near the right extremity of this Section, the undulating surface of the fundamental Granite (a. 5. a. 6. a. 7. a. 8.) is represented as being, for the most part, beneath the level of the Sea.

On the left extremity of the Section (a. 1. a. 2. a. 3.) the Granite is elevated into one of those lofty Alpine ridges, which have affected, by their upward movement, the entire series of stratified Rocks.

Corresponding formations of Primary and Transition Strata, are represented as occurring on each side of this elevated Granite, which is supposed to have broken through, and to have carried up with it to their present elevated and highly inclined position, strata that were once continuous and nearly horizontal.*

The general history of Elevation appears to be, that mountain chains of various extent, and various directions, have been formed at irregular intervals, during the deposition of stratified rocks of every age; and that Granite had, in many cases, acquired a state of solidity before the period of its elevation.

Within the primary Granite, we find other forms of Granitic matter, (a. 9.) which appear to have been intruded in a. state of fusion, not only into fissures of the older Granite, but frequently also into the Primary stratified rocks in contact with it, and occasionally into strata of the Transition and Secondary series, (a. 10. a. 11.) these Granitic injections were probably in many cases, contemporaneous with the elevation of the rocks they intersect; they usually assume the Condition of Veins, terminating upwards in small branches; and vary in dimensions, from less than an inch, to an indefinite width. The direction of these veins is very irregular: they sometimes traverse the Primary strata at right angles to their planes of stratification, at other times they are protruded in a direction parallel to these planes, and assume the form of beds. Some of the relations of these Granitic Veins to the rocks intersected by them are represented at the left extremity of the Section. (a. 9.) †.

A. 10. represents a dyke and protruded mass of Granite, intersecting and overlying stratifie...

Table of contents

• Cover Page
• Half Title
• Title Page
• Copyright Page
• Contents
• List of Engravings
• Explanation of the Plates
• Index