"But how did the first land of all get made?" I can only reply: A
natural question: but we can only answer that, by working from the
known to the unknown. While we are finding out how these later lands
were made and unmade, we may stumble on some hints as to how the
first primeval continents rose out of the bosom of the sea.
And thus I end this paper. I trust it has not been intolerably dull.
But I wanted at starting to show my readers something of the right
way of finding out truth on this and perhaps on all subjects; to make
some simple appeals to your common sense; and to get you to accept
some plain rules founded on common sense, which will be of infinite
use to both you and me in my future papers.
I hope, meanwhile, that you will agree with me, that there is plenty
of geological matter to be seen and thought over in the neighbourhood
of any town.
Be sure, that wherever there is a river, even a drain; and a stone
quarry, or even a roadside bank; much more where there is a sea, or a
tidal aestuary, there is geology enough to be learnt, to explain the
greater part of the making of all the continents on the globe.
II. THE PEBBLES IN THE STREET
If you, dear reader, dwell in any northern town, you will almost
certainly see paving courts and alleys, and sometimes--to the
discomfort of your feet--whole streets, or set up as bournestones at
corners, or laid in heaps to be broken up for road-metal, certain
round pebbles, usually dark brown or speckled gray, and exceedingly
tough and hard.
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