the position of the sea with relation to the land: Thucydides opposes, οἱ απο θαλασσης—επανωθεν εν ηπείροις ngos" those distant from the sea-aboveinland,” and, ὅσοι κατω ᾤκουν -"those who "dwell beneath or below," that is, on the sea-coast. The briefness of this clause, and the nature of the subject, have caused it to be little contemplated in proportion to its importance, and to the fulness of the instruction which it conveys; and therefore, it has not been observed, that the same sublimity which is universally perceived in the clause-Let there be LIGHT, and there was light; subsists equally in this clause-Let the waters be gathered together unto ONE PLACE, and let the dry land BE SEEN, and it was so. The sentiment of sublimity in the former clause, results from the contemplation of an instantaneous transition of the universe from the profoundest darkness to the most splendid brightness, at the command of God. All men familiarly apprehend the sadness of the former, and the delight of the latter; and they are, therefore, instantly sensible of the glorious nature of the change which was then so suddenly produced. But, the nature of the change which must necessarily have taken place, in suddenly rendering visible a part of a solid continuous globe whose universal surface was overflowed and concealed by a flood of waters, is not so familiarly and so instantly apprehended; the mind, therefore, does not care to dwell upon it, but is contented with receiving the general information, that the SEA was formed. Hence, both commentators and geologists have equally failed to draw the immediate and necessary inference from the revelation of that great and undeniably. geological fact. But, it is to the stupendous MODE of that formation, as an immediate and necessary inference demanded from our reason, that the historian here summons our contemplation. It is self-evident, to reflection, that if the whole surface of a globe were covered and concealed by a fluid attached to it only by the law of gravitation, and if the whole of that fluid were to be afterwards collected in one part of that globe so as to render the remaining part of its concealed surface visible, the aqueous accumulation must take place below the level of this latter part; which effect could only be attained, by the congregated waters acquiring that space in depth which they had lost in length and breadth: for, accumulation in height is contrary to the law of fluids. In producing, therefore, the effect described in the record, the surface upon which the waters originally rested must have been suddenly depressed and deepened in all that portion of its extent on which they were to remain; and, to a depth sufficiently profound to drain them off from the other portion, which was to be exposed, and left dry. This is an induction from the premises, which will allow of no objection. But, the mineral geology here asks-How was the deepening of any portion of the globe's surface possible, in the nature of things?" If there were "caverns beneath it into which it could sink, how "were they produced? Why were they commensurate "with the extent of the land?" To these questions, I give the following obvious answer. That the globe of this earth was formed cavous, or hollow, is just as probable, à priori, as that it was formed solid; the probabilities are, at the least, equal. But, the positive divine declaration, that a place was afterwards opened beneath its surface to receive the superincumbent waters, determines the fact to the former probability, à posteriori. The spherical figure of the earth alone, renders it highly probable, that it is constructed in some manner, simple or complex, on the principle of the arch or vault; which principle we see variously employed in the works of nature, that is, of God, in all the three kingdoms of matter pertaining to this globe. It is, a principle for producing surface without uniform solidity. We see, in the vegetable world, the substance of the apple and the turnip solid throughout, but, we see that of the cocoa-nut extended in surface with moderate solidity. Surface, with moderate solidity, was all that the uses of the earth required. We can only be led to suppose it solid throughout, in order to suppose a support for its surface; but, when we know that a principle exists in the works of God, by which support may be given to spherical surface without 1 GREENOUGH, Geology, p. 190. ર uniform solidity, that motive loses all its force; and the economy, simplicity, and skill manifested in the works of the creation guide the reason rather to suppose, that this admirable principle has been employed in the structure of the sphere of this globe, and of all the celestial spheres. The utmost extent to which man has penetrated below the surface of the earth, does not equal, in comparative depth, one thousandth part of the solid substance of the cocoa-nut; so that no argument for the continuous solidity of our globe, can be grounded upon our experience of the solidity of the crusts of its surface. If, then, the sphere of the earth is in any manner constructed upon a principle which its figure renders so highly probable; we see, both how a cavous interior was produced into which a portion of its surface might sink, and why the cavity should be commensurate with the extent of land constituting that surface1. "The now ascertained density of the earth (says Mr. Conybeare) "being greater than that which would result from an entirely solid sphere of the most compact known rock, renders the existence of any "such cavity very doubtful." (Geol. of England, Introd. p. xv.) Nay, it would put an end to all doubt; but, this instructive writer here refutes his own argument, by proving too much. For, we know that the sphere of the earth is not entirely composed of the most compact known rock; if, then, its density is greater in its actual composition, than if that composition was so much more compact, its density cannot result from compactness and solidity; which would be a contradiction. There must, therefore, be some radical error, in this inference of density stated to be "now ascertained." After comparing the latest experiments of Bouguer, Maskeline, Playfair, and Cavendish, M. D'Aubuisson observes; that we are authorised to conclude," that the mean density of the terrestrial globe But, this operation of deepening implies, both a disruption and a depression of the solid parts which were to be deepened; and, as we are told the operation was immediate, within the third diurnal revolution of the globe, so must it also have been violent. In the first formation of the globe no secondary causes could have acted, because, secondary causes could not have existed until the first formations in which they were to reside had received existence; but, as soon as a first formation was produced, its laws received their force, subject always to the control and determination of their divine Author. In the first act of creation, this globe was produced at once, compact, solid, and complete in all its mineral nature, order, and composition, and from that moment, to speak by a figure authorised by God Himself', it was subjected by Him to its own proper ordinances or LAWS; as the vegetable and the animal systems were afterwards subjected by Him to their proper LAWS, from "is about five times greater than that of water, and consequently, nearly "double that of the mineral crust of the globe;" but he prudently adds, "these first results ought only to be regarded as simple approximations." (tom. i. p. 29.) M. Laplace, who thinks that the density of the earth increases progressively towards its centre, does not carry that speculation above 300 leagues or 900 miles below its surface; which would still leave an internal extent of above 5000 miles in diameter. But, his hypothesis of the progressively increasing density of strata, depends on the previous hypothesis of the earth having been fluid; for, he says—“such a disposition could only have existed in the case of the entire earth having "been primitively fluid." D'AUBUISSON, ib. p. 27. Thus, the existence of a cavity is not very doubtful. Jerem. xxxi. 35, 36. |