point out how these natural ordinances
seem intended to teach us the great truths which are the basis of all
political science; how the polishing friction which separates, the
affection which binds, and the affliction that fuses and confirms, are
accurately symbolized by the processes to which the several ranks of
hills appear to owe their present aspect; and how, even if the knowledge
of those processes be denied to us, that present aspect may in itself
seem no imperfect image of the various states of mankind: first, that
which is powerless through total disorganization; secondly, that which,
though united, and in some degree powerful, is yet incapable of great
effort or result, owing to the too great similarity and confusion of
offices, both in ranks and individuals; and finally, the perfect state
of brotherhood and strength in which each character is clearly
distinguished, separately perfected, and employed in its proper place
and office.

Sec. 7. I shall not, however, so oppose myself to the views of our leading
geologists as to retain here the names of Primary, Secondary, and
Tertiary rocks. But as I wish the reader to keep the ideas of the three
classes clearly in his mind, I will ask his leave to give them names
which involve no theory, and can be liable, therefore, to no great
objections. We will call the hard, and (generally) central, masses
Crystalline Rocks, because they almost always present an appearance of
crystallization. The less hard substances, which appear compact and
homogeneous, we will call Coherent Rocks, and for the scattered debris
we will use the general term Diluvium.

Sec. 8. All these substances agree in one character, that of being more or
less soft and destructible. One material, indeed, which enters largely
into the composition of most of them, flint, is harder than iron; but
even this, their chief source of strength, is easily broken by a sudden
blow; and it is so combined in the large rocks with softer substances,
that time and the violence of the weather invariably produce certain
destructive effects on their masses. Some of them become soft, and
moulder away; others break, little by little, into angular fragments or
slaty sheets; but all yield in some way or other; and the problem to be
solved in every mountain range appears to be, that under these
conditions of decay, the cliffs and peaks may be raised as high, and
thrown into as noble forms, as is possible, consistently with an
e