James Hutton (1726–1797), father of modern #Geology, was born #OTD, 14 June (NS/3 June OS). One of the first Western proponents of “deep time”, his memorable phrase “we find no vestige of a beginning,—no prospect of an end” has been called one of the most lyrical sentences in all science
#C18th
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#C18th
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And the rocks melt wi’ the sun…
Hutton met Robert Burns in 1787. Later that year, Burns visited locations discussed in Hutton’s THEORY OF THE EARTH. Are there echos of Hutton’s “deep time” in “A Red, Red Rose” (1794)?
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https://sunnydunny.wordpress.com/2011/10/11/robert-burns-and-geology/
granite boulders back to their molten roots?
And how far back was back, and how far on
would basalt still be basalt, iron iron?
—Edwin Morgan thought so, & was inspired – by Burns & Hutton – to write “Theory of the Earth” (New Writing Scotland 2, 1984)
#poem
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