The question of the origin of igneous rocks, their diversity and genetic relationships, represents that fundamental problem of petrography which has been for many years the object of inquiry for petrologists as well as for geologists and chemists. Whilst the amount and scope of detailed observation were growing, the methods of experimental investigation improved, and as the eruptive rocks came to be studied from the point of view of physical chemistry, so the petrogenetical horizon became larger and wider. Thus, on the basis of numerous minute and detailed observations were built broad generalizations that gave rise to new problems.