"Theory of the Earth, With Proofs and Illustrations, Volume 2 (of 4)" by James Hutton is a geological work published in 1795. This foundational text argues that Earth formed through natural forces operating over vast timescales, challenging biblical accounts of Earth's age. Hutton's principle of uniformitarianism—that present processes explain past geological features—would profoundly influence Charles Lyell and, through him, Charles Darwin. The work even contains early hints of natural selection, describing how organisms best suited to their circumstances survive and multiply. (This is an automatically generated summary.)