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H
L E T T E R XVIII.
To ProfeiTor B e r g m a n n .
O f the Volcanos in Iceland,
Stockholm, Sept. i , i jy g .
AVING received the colle6Tion I
made in Iceland of the ipecimens
o f the different fubftances o f which
their volcanos are compofed, I take the
liberty o f fending it to you ; adding
at thefame time a iliort account of thefe
burning mountains, which is in part
extradied from Icelandic writings, and
partly founded on what I heard from
the natives, as well as from my own
obfervations ; and which I do not think
unworthy o f your clofer examination.
Indeed it is much to be lamented,
that lince o f late fuch care and application
have been bellowed on the ftudy
o f natural hiftory, fo little attention
has been paid to the operations o f
Nature in this remarkable iiland ; for
hitherto
hitherto a very fmall number o f the
many volcanos are yet fully, known ;
but that we iliould be more ignorant in
regard to the wonderful hot fpouting
fountains with which the country
abounds, is very extraordinary; not
to mention many other uncommon
appearances in Nature.
GMy time and attention have been
too much confined and taken np to
give you fo complete an account o f
the curiofities o f Iceland as they deferve
; but I flatter myfelf notwithftanding,
that you will give a favourable
reception to the few obfervations
I iliall make, though they ihould not
be fo important as might be expefled.
We may hope to fee this fubjefl treated
upon more at large, w?hen you
have time and opportunity to compare
the effefts o f fire in Iceland,
w'ith fimilar ones in other parts o f the
world.
I will not venture to determine
how far the opinion^ o f fome men
o f learning is founded on truth,
that all mountains have taken their
rife either from fire or water. How
2 probable
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