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earth with them； and wherever those lava…hills stand up； whether great or
small； there is pretty sure to be rich land around them。 If you look at the
Geological Map of England and Ireland； and the red spots upon it； which
will show you where those old lavas are； you will see how much of them
there is in England； at the Lizard Point in Cornwall； and how much more
in Scotland and the north of Ireland。 In South Devon； in Shropshire… …
with its beautiful Wrekin； and Caradoc； and Lawleyin Wales； round
Snowdon （where some of the soil is very rich）； and； above all； in the
Lowlands of Scotland； you see these red marks； showing the old lavas；
which are always fertile； except the poor old granite； which is of little use
save to cut into building stone； because it is too full of quartzthat is； flint。
Think of this the next time you go through Scotland in the railway；
especially when you get near Edinburgh。 As you run through the
Lothians； with their noble crops of corn； and roots； and grassesand their
great homesteads； each with its engine chimney； which makes steam do
the work of menyou will see rising out of the plain； hills of dark rock；
sometimes in single knobs； like Berwick Law or Stirling Cragsometimes
in noble ranges； like Arthur's Seat； or the Sidlaws； or the Ochils。 Think
what these black bare lumps of whinstone are； and what they do。
Remember they are minesnot gold mines； but something richer still
food mines； which Madam How thrust into the inside of the earth； ages
and ages since； as molten lava rock； and then cooled them and lifted them
up； and pared them away with her ice…plough and her rain…spade； and
spread the stuff of them over the wide carses round； to make in that bleak
northern climate； which once carried nothing but fir…trees and heather； a
soil fit to feed a great people； to cultivate in them industry； and science；
and valiant self…dependence and self…help； and to gather round the Heart of
Midlothian and the Castle Rock of Edinburgh the stoutest and the ablest
little nation which Lady Why has made since she made the Greeks who
fought at Salamis。
Of those Greeks you have read； or ought to read； in Mr。 Cox's Tales of
the Persian War。 Some day you will read of them in their own books；
written in their grand old tongue。 Remember that Lady Why made them；
as she has made the Scotch； by first preparing a country for them； which
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would call out all their courage and their skill； and then by giving them the
courage and the skill to make use of the land where she had put them。
And now think what a wonderful fairy tale you might write for
yourselfand every word of it trueof the adventures of one atom of
Potash or some other Salt； no bigger than a needle's point； in such a lava
stream as I have been telling of。 How it has run round and round； and
will run round age after age； in an endless chain of change。 How it began
by being molten fire underground； how then it became part of a hard cold
rock； lifted up into a cliff； beaten upon by rain and storm； and washed
down into the soil of the plain； till； perhaps； the little atom of mineral met
with the rootlet of some great tree； and was taken up into its sap in spring；
through tiny veins； and hardened the next year into a piece of solid wood。
And then how that tree was cut down； and its logs； it may be； burnt upon
the hearth； till the little atom of mineral lay among the wood…ashes； and
was shovelled out and thrown upon the field and washed into the soil
again； and taken up by the roots of a clover plant； and became an atom of
vegetable matter once more。 And then how； perhaps； a rabbit came by；
and ate the clover； and the grain of mineral became part of the rabbit； and
then how a hawk killed that rabbit； and ate it； and so the grain became part
of the hawk； and how the farmer shot the hawk； and it fell perchance into a
stream； and was carried down into the sea； and when its body decayed； the
little grain sank through the water； and was mingled with the mud at the
bottom of the sea。 But do its wanderings stop there？ Not so； my child。
Nothing upon this earth； as I told you once before； continues in one stay。
That grain of mineral might stay at the bottom of the sea a thousand or ten
thousand years； and yet the time would come when Madam How would
set to work on it again。 Slowly； perhaps； she would sink that mud so
deep； and cover it up with so many fresh beds of mud； or sand； or lime；
that under the heavy weight； and perhaps； too； under the heat of the inside
of the earth； that Mud would slowly change to hard Slate Rock； and ages
after； it may be； Madam How might melt that Slate Rock once more； and
blast it out； and then through the mouth of a volcano the little grain of
mineral might rise into the open air again to make fresh soil； as it had done
thousands of years before。 For Madam How can manufacture many
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different things out of the same materials。 She may have so wrought
with that grain of mineral； that she may have formed it into part of a
precious stone； and men may dig it out of the rock； or pick it up in the
river…bed； and polish it； and set it； and wear it。 Think of thatthat in the
jewels which your mother or your sisters wear； or in your father's signet
ring； there may be atoms which were part of a live plant； or a live animal；
millions of years ago； and may be parts of a live plant or a live animal
millions of years hence。
Think over again； and learn by heart； the links of this endless chain of
change： Fire turned into StoneStone into SoilSoil into PlantPlant
into AnimalAnimal into SoilSoil into Stone Stone into Fire again
and then Fire into Stone again； and the old thing run round once more。
So it is； and so it must be。 For all things which are born in Time must
change in Time； and die in Time； till that Last Day of t