Principles of geology. :: Geology, Paleontology & Theories of the Earth

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Text for Contents, Page 7.

              CONTENTS.
BOOK I.
CHAPTER I.
Geology defined— Compared to History — Its relation to other Physical Sciences
— Not to be confounded with Cosmogony - Page 1
CHAPTER II.
HISTORICAL   SKETCH   OF  THE   PROGRESS   OF   GEOLOGY.
Oriental Cosmogony — Hymns of the Vedas — Institutes of Menu— Doctrine of
the successive destruction and renovation of the World — Origin of this doctrine
— Common to the Egyptians — Adopted by the Greeks—System of Pythagoras
— of Aristotle— Dogmas concerning the extinction and reproduction of genera
and species — Strabo's theory of elevation by earthquakes — Pliny—Concluding
Remarks on the knowledge of the Ancients - - - -      4
CHAPTER III.
HISTORY   OF   THE   PROGRESS   OF   GEOLOGY Continued.
Arabian writers of the tenth century — Avicenna — Omar —. Cosmogony of the
Koran — Kazwini — Early Italian writers—■ Leonardo da Vinci—Fracastoro —
Controversy as to the real nature of fossils—Attributed to the Mosaic deluge —
Palissy— Steno—Scilla—Quirini —Boyle—■ Lister — Leibnitz — Hooke's Theory
of Elevation by Earthquakes — Of lost species of animals — Ray — Physico-
theological writers—Woodward's Diluvial Theory—Burnet—Whiston—Vallis-
neri — Lazzaro Moro — Generelli — Buffon —. His theory condemned by the
Sorbonne as unorthodox — His declaration —Targionl — Arduino — Michell —
Cateott— Raspe — Fuchsel— Fortis—-Testa—Whitehurst— Pallas — Saussure
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CHAPTER IV.
HISTORY   OF   THE   PROGRESS   OF   GEOLOGY Continued.
Werner's application of geology to the art of mining—Excursive character of his
lectures — Enthusiasm of his pupils — His authority—His theoretical errors —
Desmarest's Map and Description of Auvergne — Controversy between the Vul-
canists and Neptunists — Intemperance of the rival sects — Hutton's Theory of
the earth — His discovery of granite veins — Originality of his views — Why
opposed—Playfair's illustrations—Influence of Voltaire's writings on geology—
Imputations cast on the Huttonians by Williams, Kirwan, and De Luc—Smith's
Map of England — Geological Society of London —. Progress of the science in
France—Growing importance of the study of organic remains        - -    48
CHAPTER V.
PREJUDICES   WHICH   HAVE   RETARDED   THE   PROGRESS   OF   GEOLOGY.
Prepossessions in regard to the duration of past time—Prejudices arising from our
peculiar position as inhabitants of the land— Of those occasioned by our not seeing
subterranean changes now in progress—All these causes combine to make the
former course of Nature appear different from the present — Objections to the
doctrine, that causes similar in kind and energy to those now acting, have produced the former changes of the earth's surface, considered - -    63
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Principles of geology.

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