nature for this purpose must be stupendous in their agency; for when it is reduced to an arithmetical calculation, it overwhelms the conception by its surprising magnitude.* If light, with its modifications or companions, heat and electricity, be this operating instrument, it is an impressive indication of the wondrous potentialities of this surprising element, whose particles are stated to be so inexpressibly minute. The next stage or process which distinguished the third revolution of the forming globe round its axis was the removal of the waters that were flowing over it, from its general surface, by the congregation of them into those united masses on portions only of its exterior plane, which we denominate seas. "Let the waters under the heaven be gathered together unto one place, and let the dry land appear,"t was the command; and the consequence was, that the watery element assembled on one portion of the earth into seas, while the rest of the earth became habitable ground. No detail is given of the causes or movements by which this mighty result was effected. Here also the geologist is left free to form his most scientific speculations. If the globular surface was a uniform level, with an equal diffusion of the waters upon its whole circumference, some parts must have been then raised up, in order to produce adequate concavities, into which the aqueous masses could subside and collect. The exterior form of the earth is mani festly of this kind. Vast ranges of mountains and rocks the ocean, it would soon flow over the land and cover it again with a universal inundation. It is evaporation which now prevents the catastrophe of another deluge. It has been calculated from careful observation that the annual evaporation from the surface of Great Britain, is equal to 32 inches of water. But the "mean fall of rain over all Great Britain cannot be estimated at less than 36 inches. Hence the evaporation is less than the rain by 4 inches. This excess must be supplied from the neighbouring seas. The 4 inches of rain not again elevated in the state of vapour must be annually carried into the sea by means of the different rivers. Now a quantity of water which would cover the whole surface of Great Britain to the depth of 4 inches would amount to 1,238,784.152,000,000 cubic inches, which is equal to 4.467.725.610,767 imperial gallons, or 17,729,069,844 tons."-Thomson's Outline, 266. Hence eight times this enormous quantity ascends in vapour every year from our island, and nine times this inconceivable amount falls on it in rain. † Gen. ch. i. ver. 9. are now seen standing in various regions, as high above the common ground as the depths of the ocean seem to be below it in which the seas are permanently assembled. The surface of the earth rises, in some parts, into high tableland; but the general level of both land and sea is now nearly the same. The ocean. is therefore obviously occupying cavities equal to its bulk of fluid; and the supposition seems to be not unreasonable, that, in order to form these hollow spaces, the mountain masses were raised up.* The state and phenomena of these stupendous elevations in many applicable points favour the idea, and recommend it to our consideration. But the Mosaic record has given no information on the subject, and therefore philosophy has from that, on this point, neither guide nor restriction in its theories or researches. It is only necessary that we should avoid all systems as erroneous which are incompatible with the other general intimations of this important document.t * Dr. Young intimates the mean depth of the ATLANTIC Ocean to be about three miles; and that of the PACIFIC, four miles. -Lect. p. 47. But the European seas are less profound. The greatest depth of the ADRIATIC, between Dalmatia and the mouths of the Po, is twenty-two fathoms."--Lyell's Geol. p. 236. The METERRANEAN varies very much. Between Gibraltar and Ceuta, Captain Smith sounded 950 fathoms (1900 yards) to a gravelly bottom. Saussure, at Nice, to 2000 feet. In the narrowest parts of the Strait of Gibraltar, where they are nine miles broad, the depth varies from 160 to 500 fathoms (from 520 to 1000 yards), Lyell, ib p. 299, LA PLACE infers that the depth of the sea is inconsiderable. Its mean depth is of the same order as the mean heights of continents and iales above its level, whose height does not exceed 1000 metres (1093 yards). But as high mountains are spread over some parts of the continent, so there may be great cavities in the bottom of the sea."-La Place, Systême, vol. ii. p. 116. 1 That Moses was correct in representing the earth as first covered by the waters, before they were drawn off into the sea, is manifest from the admissions of those philosophers who are least disposed to favour his authority. Thus La Place mentions, "There cannot be the least doubt but that the sea covered a great part of our continents, on which it has left incontestable proofs of its existence. The successive subsidence of isles, and of a part of the continents, followed by extended subsidence of the waters of the sea, which have uncovered parts previously submersed, appear to be indicated by the different phenomena which the surface and strata of the existing continent present to us."--fb. De la Metheric expressed to De Lue, "Vous convenez encore avec tous les physiciens, que la surface du globe, à du être entièrement couvert d'eau dans la première origine." So Dolomieu says, "Limestone covers more than a third of our continents. It is the abundance of this rock, the You will find it to be suggested by several able the word "day," in the brief account of the er Genesis was not meant to be restricted to our d twenty-four hours; but was rather used as a te press an indefinite period of time: and that six da tion express only so many successive stages; and of these may be construed to be a thousand pecially as in the Psalm which the Jews, accor ancient tradition, supposed to be written by author, a thousand years are spoken of as no m Divine consideration than a human_day.* They have been led to this enlarged construc: term, by finding many appearances in the state of the masses of the earth, and of their organica. which, in the present degree of our geological k seem to have required a much longer period for th rence, and for the revolutions which they indicate to have undergone, than the short space of six of ral days would have admitted. Feeling this diffi have preferred to expand the meaning of the wor Moses designates the time of each successive a tion, to the other alternative, of opposing his altogether. If there were an absolute necessity. such an election, it would be most reasonable to with their idea; and it is remarkable that some ar tions had traditions of that sort among their learn position, almost always horizontal, of its beds, and the fossils which have taught us the long residence of the sea on our -Journal de Phys. Oct. 1791. M. FERUSSAC, less prejudiced, intimates the same fact, presses the importance of showing "that the formations abov were the production of a certain state of things intermediar the epocha when the waters of the sea covered all, and when became free."--Bull. Univ. 1828, vol. vi. p. 185. So WERNER thought "that the whole ocean must have fo vered the whole earth at the same time."-Jameson's Mine p. 75. *"For a thousand years in thy sight are but as yesterday.' ver. 4. St. Peter expresses a similar idea: "Be not ignorant thing, that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, an sand years as one day."-2 Pet. ch. iii. ver. 8. † We learn from Suidas, that the ancient Etruscans had su tions. He mentions that a well-informed man of their nation, written their history, stated, that God was the Demiurgos, or all things; that he had employed 12,000 years in his creations, s distributed them into twelve mansions. In the first chiliad, But although it is true that many of the geological phenomena have been represented by these observers, and others, to indicate that our earth has had a much longer duration than the strictest import of the terms used by Moses can allow, and especially in the succession of its organized races; yet, after the most patient comparison and consideration of their facts and reasonings, I cannot but feel that they have not at all advanced beyond plausible conjectures, as I also perceive that they are mostly at variance with each other; and that, as fast as one theory of this sort is set up, it has been found to be wrong by a succeeding inquirer, who attempts, in his turn, to establish a different one, of the same tendency, in its stead. These are all fair exertions of ingenuity, and arise from a desire to let no fallacy stand, and from a love of exploring what has baffled anterior research: but these circumstances prove, that none of these theories are true; that the right theory has not yet been discovered; that erroneous deductions have been made from the phenomena which have been seen; and that these are not yet justly understood, nor their real bearings discerned. Hence, I continue in the belief, that whatever is true in fact and correct in inference on this subject, will be in the end found to be not inconsistent with the account of Moses, nor with the common meaning of the expressions he uses. In studying the Scriptures, it is peculiarly desirable that we should on no occasion depart any more from the usual and natural meaning of the words and phrases which there occur, than we do in reading any other author. They have been greatly disfigured by the forced constructions which most men seek to put upon them; and much dissatisfaction has by this conduct been excited in the in years, he had made the heaven and the earth; in the second, the firmament, which he called heaven; in the third, the sea, and all the waters ou the earth; in the fourth, the great luminaries, the sun and moon, and the stars; in the fifth, all birds and reptiles, fish and quadrupeds; and in the sixth, the human race. That being so formed, mankind would last 6000 years, and there would be a consummation of the whole world at the end of the 12,000 years.-Suidas, vol. ii. p. 958. The ancient Persians taught the formation of things in this succes sion: the heavens, the waters, the earth, the trees and plants, the animais, and then man. The space they allotted to each period was in the following days; 55, 60, 75, 30, 80, and 75, making together 365 days, or a complete year, during which creation was completed.-Hyde Vet. Peru. 164. telligent mind. The true construction of every part must be, not the possibilities of meaning which refining ingenuity may draw from the expression, but that sense and purport which the author himself, in penning them, intended that they should express. His personal meaning at the time, and not the import which our verbal criticism can now extract, should be the great object of our attention. In the present instance, I think Moses meant to express six natural days; and therefore it appears to me to be most probable, that whenever the right theory on the fabrication of our earth, and on the era and succession of its organized beings, shall be discovered, it will be found to be compatible with the Mosaic cosmogony, in its most natural signification. But until this desirable event arrives, there will be as much incongruity between this ancient account and our modern speculations, as there cannot but be between the devious excursions of an active imagination, and the simple and solid, but unattractive, reality. Our German contemporaries, in some of their reveries on ancient history, are equally alert to prove that novelty of fancy is more sought for by many than justness of thought; that it is easier to argue than to judge; and that even truth becomes wearisome when it ceases to be original, and has lost the impression of its beauty by its habitual familiarity. It is quite true that Moses did not profess to be a geologer, and had no business to be so. His object was, not to teach natural science, but to inculcate the existence, the laws, the will, and the worship of GoD; and to found the polity and social manners and institutions of his countrymen on this only true foundation of national prosperity and of individual happiness. But as he was the chosen organ of Divine truth to man, on his moral and religious duties, it is most probable that what he expresses on other subjects, in those compositions which were to be the permanent guides of the opinions and conduct of his nation, will be also what is true and proper. It is most consistent with all that we know of intelligent agency, to suppose that he who was instructed or guided to be the lawgiver and sacred preceptor of his people, would be likewise so informed, or influenced, as to avoid falsehood on every other collateral subject which it would be in the course of his narration to notice. If we were directing or assisting any pupil to |