Theory of the Earth, by James Hutton, [1788 and 1795]
The Theory Illustrated, with a View of the
Summits of the Alps. There are two different directions in which we may observe the destruction of our land to proceed; in the one of these, the basis of our continent is diminished by the incroachment of the sea; in the other, again, it is the height of the land above the level of the sea that is lowered. We have been considering the incroachment of the sea upon the continent; let us now examine…