tion.

For this purpose, let us examine the different countries which surround
the chalk regions of England, France, and Flanders; if the gravel upon
those neighbouring countries contain flint which the country does not
naturally produce; and if the mixture of this flint among the gravel,
which is proper to the country itself, be with regard to quantity in
proportion to the vicinity of the flint country, the Theory will then be
confirmed; and there is no doubt that this is so. On the other hand, let
us examine the gravel about London, which is far distant from any place
that produces quartz; if we shall find a very small proportion of quartz
gravel in this flinty soil, we may be assured that the quartz has
travelled from a distance, and that the Theory is thus approved. This is
actually the case, and I have seen puddingstone containing quartz gravel
among the flint.

In confirmation of this view of the travelled soil, it may be observed,
that in lower Saxony about Hamburgh, and for a great way to the
south-west, the gravel is mostly of broken flint, such as is around the
chalk countries: Yet it is at a distance from the chalk of Flanders;
there is however at Luxemburgh chalk with flint, the same as in England
and France. Therefore the flinty soil of that country, in like manner,
demonstrates the great destruction of the solid parts, and illustrates
the formation of soil by the remainder of the hard parts below, and the
alluvion of other parts.

There is most undoubted evidence that the solid body of our land had
been formed at the bottom of the sea, and afterwards raised above the
surface of the water; but, in the case which has now been described,
it appears that the travelled soil of the surface of our land had been
lately under the surface of the sea. We have thus therefore traced the
different steps in the operations of nature, of which the last step
may be considered as thus exposed to our view almost as much as the
operations of man in building the Pyramids of Egypt. But surely there
are other documents to be found in examining the different coasts of
this island with attention; and there must be a consistency in the
general appearance which never fails to attend on truth.

From the south to the north of this island, there are, in many places,
the most evident marks of the sea having been upon a higher level on
the land; this height seems to me to amount to about 40 or 50 feet
perpendicular at least, which the