degree, of every other PLANET, and even of the Sun itself.

The exteriour of every one, is probably a manifestation either of primaval, or of reflected GLORIES of Creation ;-the interiour

of

every one, is probably a wide extended cell of utter darkness.

And, therefore, when Dr. Herschel thus expreffes himself * :-Whatever fanciful poets

But this I will venture to affirm;-that all the external appearances of this our terrestrial globe, when duly compared and confidered, do at once bear united teftimony to the exact truth of the Mofaical account; and also serve for the developement of a clue, leading us to apprehend the concurring operation of well-known ordained powers of nature, whereby fuch mighty change might be effected, as has turned the fea into dry land,—has most probably caused, confiftently with all its phænomena, the variation of the magnetical needle ;-and has stamped an everlasting record of HIS Divine Power, Whofe way is in the feat, Whose paths are in the great waters, and Whofe footsteps are not known, or rightly adverted to;—and Who, according to the words of one of the most infpired of all the Sacred Writers,→ did cover the earth with the deep ('Abuogos) as with a garment ;—and did cause the waters to ftand above the mountains (šπì Tŵv ógéwv)—Who did cause them to go up as high as the hills, and down to the vallies beneath :-even unto the place that was appointed for them.

* Philof. Trans. for 1795, p. 63.

+ Pfalın 1xxvii, ver. 19.

‡ Pfalm civ. ver. 6. 8.

might fay, in making the Sun the abode of bleffed fpirits, or angry moralists devife, in pointing it out as a fit place for the wicked, it does not appear that they had any other foundation for their affertions than mere opinion and vague furmife; but now I think myself authorifed, UPON ASTRONOMICAL PRINCIPLES, to propofe the Sun as an inhabitable world.-When he thus expreffes himself, we may nevertheless add,that an inhabitable World it feems indeed unquestionably to be:-but yet (from all that can be concluded, on aftronomical, optical, or the most truly philofophical principles,) under fuch circumftances, that (whatever analogy it bears to our earth,) it may ftill be the bleffed abode, of moft highly blessed embodied Spirits, enjoying its exterior glories; -upon its refulgent orb;-and as poffibly may, at the same time, alfo, contain, within its concave sphere, a vast abode, where, whatever exifts, is for a time at least deprived of the fight of the Paradife of God.

These certainly are not fubje&s on which we ought to venture any hafty conjectures; --but the analogy may perhaps run through the whole universe.

It is by no means needful to connect the

idea of death, or of frail mortality, with that of an inhabitable world:-as we are affured, if we pay any regard to the Holy Scriptures, that man himself was not naturally subject to death, before the Fall;-or, in other words, even when first made an inhabitant on earth.

Though dwelling upon an inhabitable world, he was immortal; till fin brought death into the world.

Here, however, that laft enemy death, doth as yet remain in power;-and we find two very remarkable paffages, in the Holy Scriptures, befides thofe already cited, which lead us to conclude the interiour part of this globe of earth to be a Prison-houfe ;-to which his fad dominion doth, in fome inftances, dreadfully lead.

The one is,

Isaiah, chap. xxiv.

Ver. 22. They shall be gathered together, as prifoners are gathered IN THE PIT,-and fhall be fhut up. IN THE PRISON, and after many days fhall they be vifited.

Or, as it is rendered by the LXX,

Ver. 22. Καὶ συνάξεσιν συναγωγὴν αὐτῆς, καὶ ἀποκλέισεσιν εἰς ὀχύρωμα καὶ εἰς δεσμωτήριον, διὰ * πολλῶν γενεῶν ἐπι σκοπὴ ἔςαι αὐτῶν.

Ver. 22. And they shall gather together the congregation of it, (that is the affembly of the wicked inhabitants of the earth, which the Prophet had mentioned in the former verfes,) and shall shut them up IN A STRONG HOLD, and in a prison: after many ages there shall be a vifitation of them.

The other paffage is,

Amos, chap. ix.

Ver. 2. Ἐὰν καλορυγῶσιν* εἰς ἅδε, ἐκεῖθεν ἡ χείρ με ανασπάσει αὐτές· καὶ ἐὰν ἀναβῶσιν εἰς τὸν ἐρανὸν, ἐκεῖθεν κατάξω αὐτές.

Ver. 2. Though they DIG DOWN into hell, thence shall my hand pluck them ;—and though they climb up to heaven, thence will I drag them

down.

* Concerning the decided meaning of the præpofition διὰ thus ufed, fee Vigerus de Idiotifmis, P. 566.

+ The Vatican copy has κατακριθῶσιν.