When Varro published his treatise upon Agriculture, he alleged; " annus octogesimus " admonet me, ut sarcinas colligam antequam " proficiscar de vita.” No one of common sense, will wait in the expectation of such a monitor. Short of the term of the vivacious Varro, every reflecting person will be sensible of a period, in which it is prudent to begin sarcinas colligere. This motive has induced me to allow treatises, upon subjects so widely different, to follow each other so soon; and I request, that the same motive may be favourably received as a general apology, should the present tract not be the last thus adventurously put forward. With respect to the argument of the pre sent work, it is my wish not to anticipate it in a preface; but, to leave it to unfold itself to the reader in the perusal. I shall, therefore, only briefly and summarily state; that the FIRST and Second PARTS treat, separately, of the mode of the FIRST formations of the Earth, according to the Mineral, and the Mosaical
