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■ THE LIMY OF THE 
 
 A .SYSTEM /, 
 
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 OF THE 
 
 UNIVERSITY CF ILLINOIS. 
 
 CREATION OF OUR GLOBE, % 
 
 OF THE 
 
 PLANETS, 
 
 AND THE 
 
 SUN OF OUR SYSTEM, • * ■ 
 
 Founded on the First Chapter of Genesis, on the Geology of the 
 Earth, and on Modern discoveries in that Science, and 
 the Known Operations of the Laws of Nature, 
 
 AS PROVED BY THE DISCOVRIES OF 
 
 ■ LAVOISIEB, 
 
 AND OTHERS, IN PNEUMATIC CHEVIISTRY, BY 
 
 M. ARAGO’S 
 
 ASTRONOMICAL DISCOVERIES LATELY MADE AT THE PARIS 
 
 observatory : by 
 
 PROFESSOR FARADAY’S 
 
 decent lecture on “Further Researches in Magnetism,” and other 
 discoveries in Modern Astronomy. 
 
 THE NINTH EDITION, REVISED AND ENLARGED, 
 
 BY HENRY TAYLOR. 
 
 And containing the great discovery of the cause of the Magnetic, 
 variations of the Marine Compasses by the British Asso¬ 
 ciation of Great Britain. 
 
 QUEBEC: . --y' 
 
 PRINTED 3Y BUREAU AND MARCO TTE, 
 29 Buade Street. 
 
PREFACE 
 
 TO THE FIRST EDITION. 
 
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 In my endeavours to reconcile the present Geological 
 appearances.of oar Earth, with the Mosaic account of 
 Creation, the only certain means that appeared to me, 
 were, the adoption of that construction of the first verse 
 of Genesis, which I have stated in a part of this work, 
 and it will be seen by an extract from the Quarterly 
 Revieiv of April last, inserted below, that this cons¬ 
 truction has been confirmed and sanctioned by the 
 writings of Professor Buckland, Doctors Pusey and 
 Chalmers, Bishop Gleig, and other eminent Divines. 
 These authorities have removed the diffidence I had 
 long felt to publish a different construction from what 
 has hiterto prevailed. 
 
 The original manuscript of this work was composed 
 between the years 1819 and 1825. The writings of 
 the above reverend gentlemen were published, I believe, 
 several years afterwards, and none of them had been 
 perused by me until a few days since, when I met with 
 the review of the Bridge-water Treatise of Dr. Buck- 
 land. 
 
 In the summer of 1829, I presented a prospectus of 
 the work to Archdeacon Mountain, and to the Bishop 
 of Quebec. The former kindly complimented me on 
 it, and the latter recommended my publishing it in 
 London, for which I was soon to embark. I arrived 
 there in October of same year, and presented the pros¬ 
 pectus to the Lord Bishop of London, from whom I 
 received a note, by which he was pleased to commend 
 the design of the work. I subsequently presented the 
 prospectus to several of the principal Booksellers, who, 
 on learning that the size of the work would be that of 
 a pamphlet, informed me that the cost of advertising 
 was so great that no pamphlet would pay it; and my 
 circumstances preventing me from incurring that ex¬ 
 pense, I gave up the intention of publishing 
 
 810718 
 
4 
 
 In the mean time, a reverend gentleman of the name 
 of Fairholme, was publishing a theological work con¬ 
 nected with geology, and I enclosed to him a copy of 
 the prospectus, and in a letter I received from him, 
 dated October 14, 1833, he says,—“With regard to the 
 creation of our earth or of the sun, and other members 
 of the Solar System, I have neither found in the work 
 of any writer, nor can I conceive the smallest grounds 
 on which to form a consistent theory, nor indead do I 
 conceive that it belongs to the science of geology at all.* 
 Scripture has given us no insight into it. The existing 
 laws of nature are equally silent, and yet , these laws 
 must have existed from the hegiuning .” He then as¬ 
 sumes, “that the granite mass has been formed before 
 the existence of organized beings, as their remains are 
 never found in it,” an opinion which, I think, the rea¬ 
 der will find answered in ihebody of the work ; and the 
 assertion, thatneither Scripture nor the laws of nature 
 give any insight into the creation, appeared to me 
 so futile, that I have inserted the above extract, solely 
 to prove that the system I had formed, had not, at the 
 date ofthat letter, been yet made by any other writer. 
 
 By the following extract from the Bridgewater 
 Treatise of the Rev. Doctor Buckland, published long 
 since the date of Mr. Fairliolm’s letter, it will be seen, 
 that my construction of the 1st verse of Genesis, has 
 been sanctioned and confirmed by the authorities 
 mentioned above. 
 
 And having presented my prospectus to the persons 
 above named, and also to the Royal Institution in 
 Albemarle-street, London, in 1833,1 consider if a duty 
 to myself to claim the originating of that construction, 
 by which the general appearance of gradual deposition 
 in the geology of the earth, (whose diameter must, ac¬ 
 cording to the modern geologists, have existed millions 
 of years) will, as well as this supposed age, be no .v re¬ 
 conciled, and satisfactorily explained by the Mosaic 
 account 
 
 * In this he was right, it belongs to the science of Comogony- 
 
5 
 
 'Extract from the Review of the Bridgeivater Treatise. 
 
 “If there are any lovers of science yet ignorant of 
 the extent and fertility of the held which Geology has 
 laid open—of the intensity and variety of interest by 
 which those who explore it are repaid—here is a work 
 to astonish and delight them. If there are any persons 
 yet deterred from the study of this fascinating science, 
 by the once prevalent notion, that the facts, or theories, 
 if you will, that it teaches, tend to weaken the belief in 
 revealed religion, by their apparent inconsistency with 
 the scriptural account of the creation of the globe.— here, 
 in the work of a dignitary of the Church, writing ex¬ 
 cathedra , from the head quarters of orthodoxy, they will 
 find the amplest assurances that their impression is not 
 merely erroneous, but the very reverse of the truth : 
 for that while its discoveries are not in any degree at 
 variance with the correct interpretation of the Mosaic 
 narrative, there exists no science which can produce 
 more powerful evidence in support of natural religion 
 —none which will be found a more potent auxiliary 
 to revelation, by exalting our conviction of the power, 
 wisdom and goodness of the Creator. 
 
 Several hypotheses have been proposed, with a view 
 of reconciling the phenomena of geology, with the brief 
 account of creation which we find in the book of 
 Genesis and others. It has been plausibly stated that the 
 Six Days of Creation must, each of them be understood 
 to imply, not as now,a single revolution of the globe, but 
 some other cyclic period of unknown extent. Dr. 
 
 ' Buckland, however, prefers that explanation which is 
 supported by the high authority of Dr. Pusey, the 
 Pvegius Professor of Hebrew in Oxford, and has the 
 sanction of Dr. Chalmers, Bishop Gleig, and othjer 
 eminent contemporary divines,—namely, thaf the 
 phrase employed in the first verse of Genesis, ‘In the 
 biginuing God created the Heavens and the Earth,’ may 
 refer to an epoch antecedent to the ‘first day,’ subse¬ 
 quently spoken of in the fifth verse, and that during 
 this indefinite interval, comprising perhaps, millions 
 and millions of years, all the physical operations dis¬ 
 closed by geology were going on. Many of the Fathers 
 a2 
 
6 
 
 quoted by Professor Pusey, appear to have thus inter¬ 
 preted the commencement of the sacred history, under¬ 
 standing from it, that a considerable interval took place 
 between the original creation of the universe, related in 
 the first verse and that series of events of which an ac¬ 
 count isgiven in the third and following verses. 
 
 •'Accordingly,’ says Professor Pusey, fin some old 
 editions of the English Bible, where there are no 
 divisions into verses, you actually find a break at the 
 end of what is now the second verse; and in Luther’s 
 Bible (Wittenburg, 1557) you have in addition, the 
 figure 1 placed against the third verse, as being the 
 beginning of the account of the creation on the first 
 day. This is just the sort of confirmation which 
 on wfished for, because, though one would shrink from 
 the inpiety of bending the language of God’s Book to 
 any other than its obvious meaning, we cannot help 
 fearing lest we might be unconciously influenced by 
 the floating opinions of our own day, and therefore 
 turn the more anxiously to those who explained Holy 
 Scripture before these theories existed.’— Note. p. 25. 
 
 Thus all difficulty, arising from the immense anti¬ 
 quity of the Globe attested by Geology, is at once re¬ 
 moved. The circumstances related in the sncceeding 
 verses must be understood as referring to those imme¬ 
 diate changes by which the surface of the earth was 
 prepared for the reception of man.—Just as the facts 
 disclosed by astronomy, without detracting ought from 
 the credit of the inspired historian, prove, that the sun, 
 and moon, and planetary bodies must have existed 
 previous to the fourth day,’ on which he first mentions 
 them as ‘made,’ or appointed X o serve the office of 1 signs 
 and seasons, and days and years’; so Geology in no 
 degree contradicts the real meaning of the text, by pro¬ 
 claiming the fact, that the air, the earth and the waters 
 were peopled by living creatures for innumerable ages 
 before the epoch in the world’s history—which the 
 sacred historian alone contemplates,” 
 
 Under the sanction of this confirmation of the cons¬ 
 truction I had put on the first verse of Genesis, in my 
 original manuscript, formed between 1819 and 1825 
 
7 
 
 (and which is now greatly enlarged by the addition of 
 the notes containing an account of the late geological 
 discoveries, and observations upon them) I now present 
 this work to the public of Canada, and conclude this 
 preface with the sublime discretion of Eternal Wisdom 
 given us in the 8th chapter of Proverbs; which, I trust, 
 will justly apply to the great additional light which 
 the modern discoveries in pneumatic science have 
 enabled me to confer on the Cosmogony of the Creation. 
 
 “The Lord possessed me in the beginning of his 
 w r ay, before his works of old.—v. 22. 
 
 “I was set up from everlasting, from the beginning, 
 or ever the earth was.”—v. 23. (Say before the com¬ 
 bustion of the gases, as shown in this work. 
 
 “When there were no depths, I was brought forth ; 
 when there were no fountains abounding with water.” 
 —v. 24 (At the combustion of the Gases, as shown in 
 this work. 
 
 “When he prepared the heavens I leas there ; when 
 he set a compass upon the face of the depth.’’—v. 27 
 (After the combustion of the Gases, as shown in this 
 
 work. 
 
 HENRY TAYLOR. 
 
 Toronto, Nov. 22, 1836. 
 
 PREFACE 
 
 TO THE SECOND EDITION. 
 
 Since the printing of the first edition of this work, 
 I have met with several publications of high scientific 
 character, confirmative of the System of Creation I had 
 ventured to offer to the world. Extracts from these 
 will be found inserted in the body of, and in the notes 
 to, this second edition. 
 
 Sharon Turner, in his Sacred History of the World, 
 1st. vol., page 375, says “Scientific men have traced 
 the constituent substances of our globe to sixty or more 
 simple bodies, which at present rank as elements, be¬ 
 cause they are not further decomposable, and these 
 
8 
 
 appear to have constituted our primordial rocks; but 
 there are abundant reasons for surmising, that they are 
 not the primitive elements of material nature; and, 
 therefore, until they can be resolved into the particles or 
 substances which are so, we shall not attain those per¬ 
 ceptions of the original composition of our multifarious 
 earth, which will present the deciding and satisfactory 
 truth. We must know what silica, alumina, magnesia, 
 lime, carbon, iron, and other metals and primitive 
 components of minerals intrinsically are, before we can 
 actually discern the processes of the succession, the 
 causations, the agencies, the laws and the principles 
 on which the primary and secondary masses were 
 originally formed. The acquisition of this further 
 information would have been thought impossible in the 
 last century ; but human sagacity and industry are now 
 exploring what is unknown, so perseveringly, and so 
 successfully, that every month may bring us the infor¬ 
 mation, that some diligent analyst, in some country or 
 other, may be drawing from nature those great secrets 
 of her primordial chemistry, which have hitherto been 
 impervious and inaccessible.” 
 
 Now, in the first edition of this work, we have given 
 extracts from the writings of eminent botanists and 
 chemists, in support of our theory, and to prove the 
 power of the functions of vegetation to produce many 
 of the substances above mentioned, and we have a right 
 to conclude, that the remainder may equally v 7 ell have 
 been produced thereby, and by the animals of the pri¬ 
 meval ocean, since some marine animals are well 
 known to secrete the lime of which their shells are 
 composed, and the islands formed by the coral insect 
 equal in length one-eighth of the diameter of the earth 
 The basis of almost all the primary earths has lately, 
 been found by Sir Humphrey Davy to be metallic, and, 
 in a subsequent part of this work, it will be seen from 
 Sharon Turn’ers work, that several metals are produ¬ 
 ced by these functions of vegetation. If this power be 
 allowed by scientific men to these functions of terres¬ 
 trial vegetables, we certainly may, by the clearest rules 
 of induction, believe they w'ere also possessed by the 
 
9 
 
 marine vegetable kingdom of the primeval oceans of 
 Genesis,* and most likely in a higher degree, for the 
 great end of producing the solid parts of the earth ; and 
 we have then a palpable way of accounting for these 
 productions, namely, the contiuual labour of some spe¬ 
 cies of the marine animals during life, and the deposi¬ 
 tion of the marine vegetable and animal kingdoms 
 after death ; and accordingly most of the geological 
 bodies we are enabled to analyze are found to contain 
 the same materials as the remains of vegetable and 
 animal life afford. 
 
 If, therefore, this theory of the power of the vital 
 functions of vegetation and animalization be sustained, 
 we trust we shall have come to a sufficient knowledge 
 of what “silica, alumina, magnesia, lime, carbon, iron,, 
 and the other metals and primitive compounds of the 
 minerals intrinsically are for, if the functions of vege¬ 
 table and animal life be allowed to have produced 
 these substances in the oceanic waters of Genesis, they 
 must have produced them from the elements which 
 surronded them, namely, oxygen, azote, hydrogen, calo¬ 
 ric, light and electricity, blended together by the vital 
 principle of the vegetable and animal, in proportions of 
 vast variety, and by which variety the separate charac¬ 
 teristics of these different substances have been produ¬ 
 ced; for, to show the wonderful effect of variety in the 
 proportion of the elements of bodies, we find that oxy¬ 
 gen aud azote, combined in one proportion, form the 
 atmosphere we breath and live in ; but the same ele¬ 
 ments, combined in another proportion, produce the 
 strong and deleterious acid aquafortis or nitric acid. I 
 cannot, therefore, but believe, that by our theory of the 
 formations from the waters of Genesis, we shall be able, 
 in Sharon Turner’s own words, “actually to discern 
 the processes of the succession, the causations, the agen¬ 
 cies, the laws, and the principles on which the primary 
 and secondary masses were originally formed, 5 ’ and 
 that these processes will be brought to light by our the¬ 
 ory of the earth. 
 
 * Sodium, one of the new metals discovered by Sir H> Davy, is. 
 contained in all marine vegetables. 
 
10 
 
 To oar construction of the true interpretation of ihe 
 first verse of Genesis, we have given extracts from a 
 recent publication of the celebrated Dr. Chalmers, who 
 has adopted our construction of that verse. We also 
 quote from Dr. Clarke’s Commentaries in further con¬ 
 firmation of our construction of said verse. 
 
 In this edition we have the great satisfaction of 
 giving the sanction of the opinion of Mr. Arago, one of 
 the leading astronomers of the present day, to our Sys¬ 
 tem of the Creation, as far as regards the formation 
 of the earth ; first, by the condensation of its waters, 
 from aqueous vapor, and the subsequent formation of 
 its solid parts, and organic formations. We have, 
 indeed, since the publication of the first edition of our 
 work, received the verbal and written approbation of 
 it ftom men of science, and competent judges in these 
 Provinces ; but, the confirmation of the System by so 
 eminent philosopher of Europe, is peculiarly grateful. 
 
 I have in this edition ventured an idea of the design 
 intended by the Creator, to be effected by the internal 
 fires of the earth, namely, the end of hardening the 
 geological bodies, which must originally have been 
 deposited from the waters in a soft and humid state ; 
 and although we are accustomed to consider these tires 
 solely in a terrific point of view, they may perhaps, be 
 found to add one more indication of Divine Wisdom, in 
 the final preparation of our globe, for sustaining the 
 immense velocity, and unceasing continuity of its 
 double mi tions through the regions of space. 
 
 At the close of our Theory of the Sun, and of the 
 means of supplying the waste of his light and heat, we 
 have added in this second edition, some observations 
 on the ideas stated by Dr. ITerschell, on the opaqueness 
 of the sun, and on the spots that appear on or adjacent 
 to his surface ; and it will be for men of science, should 
 our Theory meet their perusal, to form their own judg¬ 
 ment thereon, and also, on the questions we have propo¬ 
 sed to them on this subject. 
 
 In this edition, we have commented upon Dr. 
 Buckland’s opinion that vegetable and animal life did 
 not exist previously to the transition or secondary 
 
11 
 
 formations of the earth. And we trust to have shewn, 
 that as all traces of shells and organic remains may be 
 destroyed by a heat less than is required for the fusion 
 of the rocks that had contained them, so, the non exis¬ 
 tence of life in the earlier periods of creation cannot be 
 sustained ; but that, as it is highly probable the internal 
 fires were then much more frequent and extensive, so 
 all appearences of the more ancient remains of vegeta¬ 
 ble and animal life must have been completely oblite¬ 
 rated and destroyed. The recent discoveries of Sir 
 Humphry Davy, in his galvanic Experiments on the 
 primary earths, appear too, to confirm the probality of 
 our theory. The granite mass is mostly composed of 
 these primary earths, which he has found to consist of 
 metallic bases, united to oxygen in a solid state. Now 
 oxygen is one of the most abundant constituents of 
 vegetable and animal life. The basis of several metals 
 also, we trust to have shewn in our work, are the pro¬ 
 duce of tha vegetable process. Mr. Good, in his Book 
 of Nature, page 239, says, “I have already had occasion 
 to observe that Albumen and Fibrine are substances 
 formed by the action of the living principle, out of the 
 common materials of the food, and that it is probable 
 the lime found in the bones and other parts, is produced 
 in the same manner.” 
 
 Now, while it is allowed by all Geologists of modern 
 date, that these functions of life have had so great a 
 share in the formation of those parts of the geological 
 bodies, which are accessible to our examination, we 
 may, it appears to me, conclude, by reasonable induction, 
 that the same mighty engine of formation has been em¬ 
 ployed from the “ beginning” to construct the entire 
 diameter and circumference of the earth, more espe¬ 
 cially as we know of no agencies equal to the vital 
 functons and their deposits for producing formations, 
 and I trust to have shewn also that the idea of the in- 
 candescance of the earth will not render this theory 
 untenable. 
 
 In note 6th of this edition will be found an extract 
 from Good’s Book of Nature, in which the opinion of 
 the immortal Newton is stated, on the subject of an 
 

 ethereal and clastic medium, pervading all space in 
 the heavens ; which opinion we consider as a strong 
 -confirmation of that part of our system relating to the 
 mode by which the sun’s waste of light and heat may 
 be replenished* 
 
 I have now solely to present this second edition to 
 the public, relying with confidence on their candid pe¬ 
 rusal of it; and hoping that I shall have at least 
 gained one end, that of exalting the utility of the 
 sciences on which I have formed this System of 
 Creation, towards enabling us to discover more fully 
 the wisdom of the First Cause in His creation. 
 
 In that part of the work which treats of the disso¬ 
 lution of the earth, we have stated an idea, that “the 
 indestructibility of the laws of nature, and their eternal 
 tendency to form new combinations of matter, offer a 
 proof also, of the distinct destined existence, and of the 
 immortality of the soul of man.” If this induction be 
 just, we may infer from our reason, that the soul is 
 immortal, and it may perhaps offer consolatory con¬ 
 firmation of the revealed religion, that its promises are 
 found consistent with our reasoning powers; and 
 with the inductions of science. And I ardently hope, 
 that this power of the sciences may tend to lead many 
 of the rising generation to acquire a knowledge thereof, 
 and a zeal for their future advancement, in futherance 
 of greater and glorious discoveries of the benevolent 
 wisdom of our Creator* 
 
 HENRY TAYLOR* 
 
 Quebec, March, 1840. 
 
 PREFACE 
 
 TO THE THIRD EDITION. 
 
 Since the publication of the second edition of this 
 work, I have found that the celebrated Hutton, as is 
 stated by Keith, was of opinion, that all the geological 
 bodies of the earth had been formed by “marine exuviae 
 
13 
 
 Of remains.^ It is satisfactory to have this part of the 
 theory of the earth, (which, previous to my seeing his 
 opinion, I hid formed and presented to the world,) 
 sanctioned by so great an authority. 
 
 But Hutton’s Theory of the Earth, being adverse to 
 the Mosaic account of the creation, he drew upon 
 himself much obloquy from the supporters of it; and 
 it is to be lamented that a due consideration of the first 
 and second verse of Genesis had not occurred to him ; 
 as most probably, his sagacious mind would have disco¬ 
 vered, how completely the explanation we have in our 
 theory given of those verses, will give the length of time 
 which, in the opinion of many geologists, the various 
 formations of the globe require. 
 
 Many of the modern geologists, however, who had 
 published their works previous to the R,ev. Dr. Buck- 
 land’s Bridgewater Treatise, in which the above cons¬ 
 truction of the first verse of Genesis is assumed, or who, 
 having not yet sufficiently contempled that construction, 
 so as to adopt it themselves, and, probably, not willing 
 to come into collision with the sacred writings: 
 the segeologists, I say, have now abandoned the practice 
 of forming any theory of the earth at all, and Jjmit 
 themselves to the collection of geological facts. Now, 
 it appears to me, that if on a clue consideration of the 
 facts which botany, chemistry, pneumatics and geology 
 present us with, it be conceived, that, by a just com¬ 
 bination of these facts, we can by fair induction and 
 analogy gain an insight into the most mysterious ope¬ 
 rations of nature, and of the laws which its omnipotent 
 Creator may have established for these operations; 
 there is then no just cause why such a combination of 
 these scientific facts should not be attempted, there is 
 no just reason why the human mind should be fettered 
 in the profoundly interesting science of cosmogony 
 more than in any other. There is not, perhaps, in 
 the vast range of nature’s works, one which excites in 
 the mind a greater degree of mysterious wonder, than 
 the inspection of the rocky formations of the earth. 
 The perfect order in the movements of the heavenly 
 bodies, their surprising distances and magnitudes, it is 
 
 £ 
 
14 
 
 true, are of a more grand and sublime description ; but 
 the rocky formations belong to our own domain, and 
 however some may call in question the vast distances 
 and magnitudes of the heavenly bodies, yet, of the 
 enormous depths, breadths and lengths of the formations 
 of our earth, we have the direct evidences of sight and 
 touch. 
 
 What are the agencies by which the Creator has 
 formed these mysterious productions'? is therefore the 
 silent question which every close observer of nature 
 asks himself. And, accordingly, numerous theories, 
 not only of the crust of the earth, but of the earth 
 itself, have long since been offered to mankind. Many 
 of these, however, being founded only on the imagina¬ 
 tive conceptions of ingenious men, have not maintain¬ 
 ed their ground. None of them, 1 believe, but Hutton, 
 as before mentioned, and a few of the German geolo¬ 
 gists, have offered any tangible mode of formation 
 which the Deity may have chosen, for the production 
 of the entire body of the geological formations of the 
 earth. 
 
 In the first paragraph of the preface to the first edi¬ 
 tion of this work, I have stated (hat my object in for¬ 
 ming my construction of the first verse of Genesis, was 
 to be enabled to reconcile the Mosaic account of crea¬ 
 tion with the time said by the modern geologists to be 
 required for these formations ; having done this, my 
 next wish was to enquire what physical laws the Crea¬ 
 tor had chosen to produce these formations ? By physi¬ 
 cal laws they are undoubtedly formed, as far as we 
 have access to examine them; and we have the 
 powerful sanction of every part of nature to conclude, 
 by analogy, that the entire diameter of the globe is 
 equally so. By the 6th, 7th and 9th verses of the 1st 
 of Genesis, we find the earth was covered by the 
 waters until J:he time of the separation. We have 
 therefore just right to conclude it was formed in those 
 waters of Genesis; and, accordingly, as stated by one 
 of the best modern geologists, “Every part of the earth, 
 every continent and. every island, exhibits the pheno¬ 
 menon of marine productions.” 
 
15 
 
 Our theory is founded on these Scriptural and geolo¬ 
 gical facts j and we have a confirmation of the 
 competent powers of the vegetable and animal deposits 
 and labours of the marine animals of the ocean to pro¬ 
 duce these formations of the earth, in the known and 
 established fact, of an extent of land more than equal 
 to one-eighth of the diameter of the earth, being formed 
 by a few T species of marine insects, for the Coral Islands 
 and reefs of the Indian Sea and Pacific Ocean are 1,500 
 miles long by 60 or 70 broad. 
 
 In the course of my journies through this Province* 
 to offer my works for sale, I am happy to state, that a 
 great majority of the people appear to be duly impressed 
 with a belief in the sacred Scriptures; indeed I have 
 met with some who seemed to think the Mosaic account 
 creation required no support. These were, however, 
 generally of persons unacquainted with the authenticated 
 geological facts. It is unquestionable that many of 
 the formations have been produ "ed by gradual depo¬ 
 sition from the waters, and must have required a 
 period for that deposition immensely greater than that 
 since the creation, being nearly 6,000 years. 
 
 Some modern geologists claim indeed millions of 
 years for these formations of the crust of the earth j 
 and, we trust, we can thoroughly satisfy these claims 
 by the construction of the first verse of Genesis, now 
 sanctioned by the eminent writers mentioned in the 
 preface to the first edition. 
 
 We trust also to have presented a palpable clue to 
 the discovery of the mode in which it may have plea¬ 
 sed the Deitv to have constructed the solid machinery 
 of our globe. The vastness of this machinery is indeed 
 calculated to strike the mind with awful wonder, but 
 it is His work, and, as such, a fair subject for the study 
 and discusion of His creatures, as the more it is exa¬ 
 mined the more profoundly will be exhibited His boun¬ 
 ty and His wisdom. We trust to have shewn, that the 
 theory of the existence of animal life, previous to the 
 secondary formations, is tenable, and that the incan¬ 
 descence of the earth, as supposed by Dr. Buckland, 
 does not overthrow it; and therefore, that we have a 
 
right to say, with a great modern geologist, “That the 
 causes at present in operation must have been produ¬ 
 cing the same effects in all preceding ages.” 
 
 We conclude, therefore, that attempts to form a 
 system of the creation, when based upon authenticated 
 scientific facts, are allowable, and the more so, that in 
 the present enlightened state of the world, these sys¬ 
 tems can be duly examined and their merits deter¬ 
 mined. 
 
 We have, in this edition, at the close of the theory 
 of the sun’s formation, given some account of Sir 
 Richard Phillips’ Theory of the cause of the Motions of 
 the Heavenly Bodies. This theory offers an additional 
 sanction to those which we have stated, in favour of 
 our theory of the existence of gaseous media in the 
 regions of space. But we are by no means prepared to 
 join Sir Richard in his opinion against the Newtonian 
 theory of gravitation and attraction. We conceive 
 that these great laws of nature may still exist, and 
 that they may be reconcilable to, and be assisted by, 
 the gaseous media; and, as we have shewn in note 6th 
 of second edition, Sir Isaac Newton himself suggests 
 “ the existence of an ethereal and gaseous medium 
 pervading all space;” and perhaps the existence of this 
 gaseous medium would serve to shew the physical 
 cause of these principles of attraction and gravitation, 
 and thereby account for their effects. 
 
 We have also inserted an extract from Sir John 
 Herschell’s Astronomy of last year, also sanctioning 
 our idea of the supply of the sun’s waste by gaseous 
 matter; and it is with the greater satisfaction we give 
 this axtract from Sir John’s work, that the late Doctor 
 Herschell was of opinion that the sun might be habi¬ 
 table. Sir John has now declared his opinion, that “the 
 sun’s zodiacal light is part of that medium which 
 resists the motion of comets, and is loaded with the 
 materials of the tails of millions of them which may 
 be slowly subsiding into the sun.” These materials 
 must of course be gaseous; now the combustion of 
 gaseous matter is nothing but the union of the base of 
 the gas with that of oxygen gas, without which no 
 
17 
 
 combustion takes place, and the consequent extrication 
 of the light and heat of this oxygen gas, by which vve 
 conclude, as per our theory, the waste of the sun’s light 
 and heat is replenished. 
 
 Accordingly Sir John, in another part of his work, 
 states his opinion, that there is “an enormous heat in 
 the sun.’’—Dr. Herscliell, his late father, says, that the 
 sun’s luminous atmosphere is only 2,500 miles from 
 the sun’s surface.—That these admitted facts can be 
 reconciled with his opinion of the sun being opaque 
 and habitable, when under the influence of such enor¬ 
 mous quantities of light and heat, appears to me totally 
 contrary to all possibility. 
 
 In addition to these sanctions of the existence of an 
 aeriform medium in the regions of infinite space, we 
 have the great satisfaction to refer the reader to our 
 extract from Dr. Graham’s Elements of Chemistry of 
 last year, where he will find, that, from recent experi¬ 
 ments of one of the most celebrated optic] an s and 
 philosophers of the present day, Sir David Bre wster, he 
 concludes that the “sun’s atmosphere must contain 
 gaseous matter.” 
 
 Several explanatory additions are made in the body 
 of this edition, to which we ask leave to refer the rea¬ 
 der, particularly to the elucidation of the theory of the 
 formation of the earth. 
 
 We now present the third edition of this work to the 
 public of United Canada, trusting that the System of 
 Creation we had attempted to form will receive a con¬ 
 siderable degree of sanction from the scientific autho¬ 
 rities, discoveries, and observations we have now en¬ 
 larged it with, and that it may be fonnd to meet the 
 approbation of scientific men of the present, and also 
 serve as an instructive book for the rising generation. 
 
 THE AUTHOR. 
 
 Montreal, 1842 
 
ts 
 
 PREFACE 
 
 TO THE SIXTH EDITION. 
 
 In the third, fourth and fifth editions of this work, 
 I have been enabled to shew sanctions of our theory of 
 the sun’s formation from two as eminent men of science 
 as the present fertile age has produced, S:r David 
 Brewster and the celebrated M. Arago, the French 
 Astronomer. In the present edition I have the honour 
 of adding what I consider a great sanction of our theory 
 of the earth, by the late surprising discovery effected 
 by the Earl of Rosse’s six foot diameter telescope. And 
 here I beg leave to say, I consider his Lordship as an 
 honour to the nobility of the land, inasmnch as, with 
 a mind superior to the common employment of wealth, 
 he has soared above its ordinary gratifications, and 
 given a high sanction to the pursuits of the sciences in 
 general, and it is probable his telescope will extend the- 
 most sublime of them, that of Astronomy. 
 
 In my theory of the formation of the earth and pla¬ 
 nets, I started from the account we have of their 
 formation in the waters of Genesis. By the modem 
 discovery of the elementary composition of water, I 
 shewed how the waters of Genesis must have been 
 formed by the combustion of their elementary gases; 
 and, reflecting on the stupendous quantity of light and 
 heat which must have been evolved by that combus¬ 
 tion,! founded my theory of the sun’s formation on the 
 belief that the most prominent and needful purpose to' 
 which that heat and light could be applied, was to form 
 the suns of the planetary systems. 
 
 The author of the theory of Formation of the Nebular 
 Hypothesis did not deign to derive its origin from 
 Scriptural sources: it proceeded from the discovery of 
 the nebulae in the regions of space by Sir Wm. 
 Herschell. Then Laplace, the French Astronomer, 
 grounded his theory of the formation of the Earth and 
 Planets upon that nebular discovery. That discovery, 
 as will be shewn in this sixth edition, has been dispro- 
 
19 
 
 ved by the high powers of Lord Rosse’s telescope and 
 it has, I am informed, been abandoned by its great 
 upholder, Doctor Nichol. I therefore consider that our 
 more humble hypothesis, grounded on the idea that the 
 Deity has established laws in our own system (which, if 
 discovered by due scientific research, are perfectly com¬ 
 petent to account for all the phenomena of the earth’s 
 formation), is now entitled to the more consideration. 
 
 The present edition of this work will, I trust, be found 
 greatly improved, by having most of the notes in the 
 former editions transposed into the body of the work, by 
 which the authorities we have quoted will be more di¬ 
 rectly brought before the reader, and prove a more 
 powerful support of the system we have formed in the 
 work. 
 
 In this edition we have shewn extracts from the ad-* 
 dresses of Dr, Nichol and Dr. Scoresby, respecting the 
 nebular hypothesis mentioned above. Lord Rosse has 
 disproved the existence of the nebulae in the constel¬ 
 lation Orion; but there remain great numbers of them 
 in other regions of space, and one chief purpose of this 
 sixth edition, is the carryng out of our System of 
 Creation into those regions, because we hope to be able 
 to shew, by natural results of this system, what the 
 probable design of these nebulae is, and more especially 
 what are the real purposes of the comets in the vast 
 domains of creation. 
 
 The theory of the sun’s formation, of this work, having 
 been sanctioned by the eminent philosophers above 
 mentioned, our intention to carry out our system with 
 the view just stated, cannot be considered pre¬ 
 sumptuous. We cannot, indeed, be assured of the 
 success of our attempt, which we leave to a discerning 
 public to determine upon ; but of this we are certain, 
 that if the theory of the sun’s formation, which we have 
 presented to the world, be ultimately confirmed, the 
 natural, and perhaps unavoidable, result of that system, 
 will sanction our conception of those purposes which 
 the nebulae are intended to effect; and as to the real 
 purposes we have assigned to the comets, we are 
 happy to have the sanction of the immortal Newton 
 
20 
 
 ill respect of them.—If we recollect aright. Sir Isaac 
 Newton has said that one of the motions of the heavenly 
 bodies could not be continued without the direct inter¬ 
 position of the Deity and we have also to add, that a 
 like most important result will follow, if oui theory of 
 the sun’s formation be ultimately adopted by the 
 scientific world, namely: that we shall have proved the 
 necessity of the existence of a continual and present 
 act of creation of elementary matter by the “ Great 
 First Cause,” which act of present creation must be 
 totally independent of the existing laws of nature ; and 
 we have now to refer the reader of the present edition to 
 the Appendix, containing its extra matter at the end of 
 the work, for our explanation of this important subject. 
 
 Since writing the above, I have been favoured with 
 a sight of that most valuable work called Cosmos, or 
 Sketch o fa Physicial Description of the Universe, by A lex. 
 Yon Humboldt, from which I am happy to givean extract 
 confirming Arago’s discovery of the gasseous nature of 
 the sun, first noticed in our fourth edition. For this 
 extract, see page 29 of Appendix No. II., sixth edition. 
 
 I now conclude the preface to the sixth edition of this 
 work, with my acknowledgements to the Canadian 
 public for the patronage bestowed by them on the 
 former editions : and as our System is now carried out 
 into a more extended sphere, I trust the present edition 
 may be found equally worthy of public favour; and as 
 the following extract from the Cosmos contains a 
 powerful display of the advantages of scientific infor¬ 
 mation, I beg leave to present it to the public :— 
 
 “ I take pleasure in persuading myself that it is possible for 
 scientific subjects to be presented in language grave, dignified, and 
 yet animated, and that those who are able to escape occa 
 sionally from the restricted circle of the ordinary duties of life, 
 and regret to find that they have so long remained strangers to 
 nature, may have opened to them access to one of the noblest 
 enjoyments which the activity of the rational faculties can afford 
 to man. The study of general natural knowledge awakens in 
 us, as it were, perceptions which had long lain dormant: we 
 enter into a more intimate communion with the external world, 
 and no longer remain without interest and sympathy for that 
 which at once promotes the industrial progress and intellectual 
 ennoblement of man.”—Cosmos, vol. l,p.35. 
 
 THE AUTHOR. 
 
21 
 
 A SYSTEM 
 
 OF THE 
 
 CREATION OF OUR GLOBE, &c. 
 
 Addison has remarked with equal piety and truth that the crea¬ 
 tion vi as a perpetualy feast to the mind of a good man. 
 
 The reader will have received some idea of the 
 purpose of the science of Geology, frmthe preface to the 
 former editions of this work ; and in order to exhibit to 
 the Canadian public the practical utility of this science, 
 we extract from a late Geological work of some merit, 
 namely, “Elements of Geology for popular use,” by 
 Charles A. Lee, M. D., of New York, his statement of 
 this utility. In the first paragraph of his preface he 
 says—“ No department of the natural sciences possesses 
 greater interest or leads to more important practical 
 results, than that of Geology. Of late years, it hag 
 attracted almost universal attention, not only from the 
 fascinating w T onders it discloses, but also from its 
 obvious and extensive application to the economical 
 purposes of life. Of such importance has it been re¬ 
 garded, that many of our State Legislatures, as well as 
 the General Government, have authorized geological 
 surveys to be made, in order that the natural resources 
 of the country may be brought to light and fully 
 developed. * * * 
 
 Already have these surveys contributed millions in 
 value to the productive industry of thfe land, and every 
 year their importance is more and more demonstrated 
 and acnowledged.” 
 
 Many of the influential men in the Hon. Legis¬ 
 lature of this Province have honoured me with their 
 subscriptions to my work, and I am happy to observe 
 that a liberal sum has since been appropriated by it, for 
 a geological survey of the Province, which I have no 
 doubt, if performed with diligence and zeal, may dis¬ 
 cover great sources of industry and wealth for it. 
 
I now proceed to give an account of the theory 
 which the late discoveries of this and other sciences 
 have suggested to me of the geological formation of 
 our globe, and of the system of creation I had formed. 
 
 In the yeai of our Lord 1819, I returned to the land 
 of my birth, the Canadas, after an absence of nigh forty 
 years in England and Nova Scotia, during which, I 
 had undergone great misfortunes in an extensive line of 
 mercantile business. 
 
 The pleasing sensations I felt on this return to my 
 native country, may have been experienced by many ; 
 the intensity with which I felt them, may have been 
 occasioned by so long an absence; and having now, 
 as it were, fallen into the calm and pure resort of 
 nature, the woods of Lower Canada, I was never more 
 happy than in the study of her works From early 
 youth I had been fond of the science of chemistry; 
 and now, some books of geology fell into my hands : 
 with them I frequently compared the appearances I met 
 with in my walks, which, being in unison with these 
 books, gradually confirmed me in the opinion, that our 
 earth was originally formed in a fluid, and was depo¬ 
 sited from it. 
 
 In the treatise on chemistry by professor Chaptal, 
 I found an account of the chaotic system of creation 
 of the ancients, by which it is supposed, that the chao¬ 
 tic mixture, being formed, the various substances were 
 attracted to each other, by the laws of mutual affinity, 
 and precipitated. 
 
 On frequent reflection, however, on this theory, and 
 contrasting it with the general state of the depositions 
 of the earth in strata and laminae, it appeared to me to 
 be totally insufficient to account for these appea¬ 
 rances : had a chaotic mixture been formed by the 
 Creator, containing in solution all the various geolo¬ 
 gical bodies, and had nothing more been required for 
 their formation, than the opration of their affinities 
 and attractions, these must have taken place imme¬ 
 diately, and they would be found in homogenous and 
 exclusive masses, according to their various affinities 
 and gravities : but the formations are generally found 
 
23 
 
 in alternate layers and lamina? of frequently mixed 
 substances, and this too without coincidence with the 
 laws of gravity, and bear the certain marks, not only 
 of being deposited from a fluid, but also, of a gradual 
 and mixed deposition, at periods probably of immense 
 distance from each other. This reflection led me to 
 conceive that these depositions were gradually pro¬ 
 duced by some permanent and continually operating 
 cause. 
 
 In the above mentioned work of Chaptal, I had 
 found and been much struck with, the beautiful and 
 interesting th eory he has given of the formation of the 
 various primitive earths, and many salts, metals and 
 mineral substances, by the processes of vegetation, 
 which are found on the decomposition of those vege¬ 
 tables by analysis and combustion ; I was also aware, 
 that vast tracts of the earth are formed by vegetable, 
 animal and marine depositions, and being one day 
 occupied in reading attentively the account of the crea¬ 
 tion in the first chapter of Genesis, the waters therein 
 mentioned forced themselves strongly on my attention 
 and repeated consideration, until at last the idea grew 
 upon me, that the geological bodies of the earth were, 
 somehow or other, produced in these waters. 
 
 That the earth was formed in a fluid, I now felt tho¬ 
 roughly convinced of; that a great part of its crust 
 consisted of vegetable and animal depositions, even 
 almost to the tops of the highest mountains, as stated 
 by geologists, seemed to me a proof, that these marine 
 vegetables and animals must have previously existed 
 in waters which produced these depositary remains ; 
 and, as no inundation or deluge is sufficient to account 
 for these universal appearances of the formations in 
 the earth; therefore, the waters or oceans mentioned 
 in the first of Genesis appeared to me the only and 
 the truest sources by which we can account for them. 
 
 During my reading and reflections on this subject, 
 and previously to my determining to form a Theory of 
 the Creation, Archdeacon Paley’s Evidences of Na¬ 
 tural Religion fell into my hands, in which the 
 atheistical doctrines of chance, and also, the notions 
 
24 
 
 of Buffbn, of the earth’s formation by a fragment 
 knocked off by a comet from the sun, is related, and 
 commented on, by the Archdeacon. 
 
 I shall, therefore, previously to advancing any thing 
 more on tie System of Creation I had gradually formed 
 in my own mind, beg leave to make some observations 
 on those doctrines of chance formation, and thus 
 endeavour to clear the way for a system, I trust, more 
 consistent with reason and with our religion. 
 
 “ Amongst inanimate substances (says Paley in p. 
 63 of his Theology of Nature, or Evidences of Natural 
 Religion) a clod, a pebble, a liquid drop, might be ; but 
 never was a watch, a telescope, or organized body of 
 any kind, answering a valuable purpose by a compli¬ 
 cated mechanism, the effect of chance ; in no assignable 
 instance hath such a thing existed without intention 
 some where.” 
 
 Now, it appears to me very singular, that Paley, 
 after, having so clearly exposed the absurdity of this 
 theory of chance, should have thus conceded the possi¬ 
 bility of a clody a pebble , or a liquid drop, being the 
 product of it; a clod is a piece or part of the earth ; a 
 pebble is a fragment of some rock rounded by the 
 waters; a liquid drop is a part of those waters. The 
 same cause then, that produced the earth and seas, 
 produced also the clod, pebble, and drop. 
 
 But can there be any doubt that the earth itself con¬ 
 tains marks of design and intelligence ? That all its 
 vegetables and animals contain marks of design, he 
 has proved ; now, we cannot refuse the same evidence 
 of design in the formation of the earth and seas, if it 
 were solely as a matrix or habitation for those plants 
 and animals; and, among the evidences of design 
 which these last exhibit, I beg leave to mention one 
 which, I believe, has escaped the observation of the 
 Archdeacon—it is the amazing varieties exhibited in 
 every species of these plants and animals. Had they 
 been solely the offspring of a a blind conatus,” there 
 would, probably, have been but one species of each of 
 them ; but their vast varieties show a master and desig¬ 
 ning hand to have directed their formation. The evi* 
 
25 
 
 deuce of design which the earth exhibits, is not 
 confined to its own formation ; this evidence is much 
 more strong, when we find and consider it as part of 
 a system of planets revolving in known periods round 
 a central sun, whose light and heat are evidently the 
 intended sustainers of the life and enjoyments of the 
 plants and inhabitants existing on this family of 
 planets. 
 
 It is also stated in page 92 of the above work, that 
 Buffon considers the Planets to have been “shivered 
 off the sun bv some stroke of a comet.’’ Palev adds, 
 “that he never could see the difference between the 
 antiquated ‘System of Atoms,’ and Buffon’s ‘Organic 
 Molecules ’’ and that “this philosopher having made 
 a planet, by knocking off from the sun a piece of m elted 
 glass, in consequence of the stroke of a comet, and 
 having set it in motion by the same stroke, both 
 round its own axis and the sun, finds his next diffi¬ 
 culty to be how to bring plants and animals upon it,’" 
 &c. 
 
 Now, as to the solid parts of the earth ; allowing 
 glass to be composed of a variety of materials, yet I 
 believe no part of the interior of the earth is discovered 
 tobe vitreous, except in the vicinity of volcanic moun¬ 
 tains, or where these have previously existed. How 
 then has this glass, of which Buffon supposes the earth 
 to have been formed ; how has it been metamorphosed 
 into the vast variety of mineral products which geology 
 discovers to us ? The internal substance of the earth 
 down to its centre, is supposed to be granite, or bodies 
 of greater density ; and neither granite, nor the more 
 external formations bear any resemblance to vitreous 
 or volcanic matter. 
 
 But, if even the solid part of our earth, will not sup¬ 
 port such a theory, how are we to account by it for its 
 waters P Is it in the midst of the molten glass of a 
 burning-sun we are to look for them ? Water, how¬ 
 ever, is said to constitute three-fourths of the earth’s 
 surface, and the total inability of this theory or sup¬ 
 position, to account for its production, appears to me 
 
 c 
 
26 
 
 decisive against its foundation in reality. ( Vide \st and 
 2d paragraph of Note l ,in Appendix.) Buffon’s theory 
 lias also been completely refuted by the undoubted as¬ 
 tronomical fact, that if the planets were struck off from 
 the sun, they must, in every revolution have returned 
 to the sun again 
 
 I shall now notice the opinions on Chance or 
 Atheism, as causes to account for the productions of 
 nature in our globe. 
 
 The Organic Molecules of Buffon are thus stated by 
 Paley, in page 427 of the above work. Evidences of 
 Natural Religion, namely,‘‘we are to suppose the uni¬ 
 verse replenished with particles endowed, with life, but 
 without organization of their own, and endowed, also, 
 with a tendency to marshal themselv es into organized 
 forms. 
 
 It appears to me almost impossible that the author 
 of this doctrine, if it be Buffon, could rest satisfied with 
 this cause of Creation ; because, although it should be 
 allowed that these particles of life could infuse them¬ 
 selves into organized bodies, we naturally inquire, how 
 came these particles themselves into the universe ? 
 This is the secret, undiscoverable without allowing an 
 “unknown cause.” If Buffon would account for the 
 existence of these particles by chance, I say, that from 
 the time of their finding their way into these Molecules 
 or organized forms, there is so much, and so cons¬ 
 tantly exhibited in every one of these forms what we 
 call, in plain language, intelligence, and design to 
 produce good and wise ends; that the term chance in 
 the sense in which it would be employed by these 
 Atheistical writers, completely comprehends intel¬ 
 ligence and design, for these are found inseparable 
 from these organized forms ; therefore, the doctrine 
 of chance, instead of confuting, proves the existence 
 of an unknown creating cause. 
 
 Were the term chance to be understood merely in 
 the common acceptation of the term, as existing, for 
 instance, in many of the events of life, it will still always 
 be considered as too impotent to account for the 
 productions of nature, because it is, not in the 
 
27 
 
 nature of the human mind to rest satisfied with this 
 absurd idea of creation. 
 
 Now, therefore, to finish with this, and with the no¬ 
 tion of the planets being knocked off from the sun to 
 account for their creation thereby, without an intelli¬ 
 gent Creator, I must sav, I feel it to be a daring thing 
 of this or any writer, to have attempted the overthrow 
 of the established opinions of all Christian nations, as 
 set forth in the Scriptures, handed down to us from 
 the people whom it appears to me, were chosen by the 
 design of Heaven, to preserve mankind in the faith 
 and worship of one Creator ; and which are, I believe 
 supported in their principal facts by the immortal 
 Newton, in his System of the Universe, and were 
 certainly believed by him. 
 
 Previous to thus presuming to overthrow this sacred 
 religion, it appears to me, this author should have for¬ 
 med a system less replete with absurdity, but fortu¬ 
 nately too much so, to produce extensively any evil 
 effects. Christians, in general, are fixed in their notions 
 of the true cause of all they see, taste, and feel around 
 them, and of their own existence. The Jewish nation 
 was taught by a religion which, from the days of Adam, 
 had been followed by mankind, —a belief in one Al¬ 
 mighty Creator of all things. This belief had nearly, 
 however, disappeared from the earth in succeeding 
 ages. Men, enervated by the effects of those hot cli¬ 
 mates, and sunk in consequent sensuality, were tempt¬ 
 ed to throw off the wholesome restraints of a pure 
 religion, and gradually fell into an idolatry, whose mi¬ 
 nisters, probably, permitted these sensual habits, to 
 confirm their own power over these people. The Jews, 
 alone, had preserved the worship of one Almighty Crea¬ 
 tor, until their posterity, after the deliverance from 
 Egyptian, bondage, had sunk into the same ido¬ 
 latrous practices as their forefathers. 
 
 And here I beg leave to observe, that this repeated 
 defection of the Jews, and of the rest of mankind, 
 from the worship of one God, appears to me a strong 
 proof that Deism alone, in its purest state, is not suffi¬ 
 cient to prevent mankind from falling into idolatrous 
 
28 
 
 worship. But, the Saviour promised .in the Scriptures 
 by the inspired writers, arose at length to astonish 
 mankind, and to bring them back for ever from that 
 idolatry to a religion which alone is worthy of the high¬ 
 est degree of intelligence to which the mind of man 
 can arrive : a religion which, while it allows him the 
 most extended use of that intelligence in the contem¬ 
 plation of the works of Creation, teaches him, also, to 
 be contented with the limits which appear to be fixed 
 to it ; (and being convinced of the existence of an 
 Almighty Protector,) to feel the glowing pleasure of the 
 adoration of Him, to be among his purest and most 
 comforting sensations. 
 
 These cheering feelings of the heart and mind, cold 
 and joyless Atheism is void of, and thereby its errors 
 are proved ; because the almost universal feeling of 
 these emotions, and their cultivation by nations who 
 have at all risen above idolatrous worship, is a proof 
 that these emotions come from the hands of Nature 
 and Reason, and they appear to form the links of a 
 chain which connects this with a future state of 
 existence. 
 
 The supporters of the doctrine of chance, however, 
 disdaining to be contented with the Scriptural account 
 of Creation, have formed various wild and futile no¬ 
 tions to account for it, in order, no doubt, to seek for 
 distinction by opposing the generally received doctri¬ 
 nes 5 but finding, as I trust to have shewn, the total 
 impotence of chance, of appetencies, priciples of 
 
 ORDER, POSSIBLE COMBINATIONS OF MATERIAL FORMS, 
 
 and of laws of nature, &c. &c., to satisfy the 
 inquiring mind of man, they have been obliged to con¬ 
 clude with telling us, “ that neither they nor we know 
 anything about the matter. {Vide page 7, of Pa ley's 
 Theolgy .) 
 
 But at that very point, where they have thus found 
 themselves stopt in the extension of their enquiries, is 
 seen “ the God whom we worship.’’ There, where this 
 proud, but false philosophy finds its ignorance begin 
 to darken it, we have the clear and powerful light of 
 the true religion to illuminate us, and to teach us to 
 
59 
 
 rest satisfied with the impenetrable veil which its 
 Author has been pleased to fix between Himself and 
 His creatures in this stage of existence. 
 
 On a par with these doctrines of chance-creation is 
 the idea of the materiality of the Human Soul ;and pre¬ 
 vious to dismissing this part of the subject I beg leave 
 of the reader to offer some observations on this doctrine 
 of Materiality. 
 
 The materialist supposes, that all the powers of the 
 mind of man result from his organization alone. It 
 follows then., as a natural consequence, that when this 
 organization is destroyed, the mind is destroyed along 
 with it. Materialism, then, necessarily leads us to a 
 disbelief in a future state. 
 
 Now, in no part of Nature do we find faculties bestow¬ 
 ed, which are not, generally, productive of certain 
 purposes to these parts : therefore , if man were des. 
 lined solely for existence on this earth ; if his thoughts 
 were solely the effects of the organization of his frame; 
 is it not probobte his thoughts would have been con¬ 
 fined to the actual sphere of his destined existence ? 
 Would he not have been unable to form those high 
 imaginations and hopes of eternal happiness in more 
 perfect regions ? 
 
 For, if we may reason from the vast body of evidence 
 in her works. Nature does nothing, and bestows nothing, 
 in vain ; she never appears to act with deception ; 
 therefore she would not have given to men of all ages 
 and nations those hopes of future happiness, merely to 
 disappoint them. “ I am positive I have a soul, ” said 
 Laurence Sterne,” nor shall all the books with which 
 Materialists have pestered the world, ever convince me 
 to the contrary. 
 
 The vast powers of intellect and of science, by which 
 man has been enabled to observe and to trace so 
 exactly the astonishing systems of the heavenly bodies; 
 those high passions and thoughts of future bliss which 
 he is thereby led to hope for, in some such regions, 
 partake too much of the nature of Spirit to suffer us to 
 think they are solely produced by a more perfect organi¬ 
 zation than is bestowed on the horse, the mule, or the 
 
 ass. 
 
 c2 
 
30 
 
 it, moreover, has been proved by the anatomy of the 
 brain of the ourang outang, an animal approaching 
 nearer to the human species than any other, that its 
 brain exactly resembles that of the human species ; and 
 it is said, “ It is surprising this resemblance is pro¬ 
 ductive of so few advantages ; the tongue and all the 
 organs of the voice are similar, and yet the animal is 
 dumb ; the brain is formed in the same nanner, and 
 yet the creature wants reason ; an evident proof [as 
 Buffon finely observes] that no arrangement of matter 
 wilt give mind , and that the body, how nicely soever 
 formed, is formed to very limited ends, when there is 
 not infused a soul to direct its operations and I am 
 the more happy in giving this quotation, as it shews 
 that Buffon has indeed the redeeming quality of not 
 acceeding to,but of disproving, this degrading doctrine 
 of Materiality. We feel less suprised at the invention 
 of such a doctrine, when we are informed who are its 
 abettors or authors. Persons who, in the practice of 
 their art, having been long habituated to dissections of 
 the human body, have thereby become more apt to form 
 their notions from their eyes than from the reflections 
 of their minds, have sought to make the world believe, 
 that the superiority of the mind of man over other ani¬ 
 mals, arose merely from a more perfect organization of 
 the brain ; and such an assertion reminds us of the 
 Alchemists, who sought for the Philosophers’ Stone in 
 some of the most loathsome objects of nature. PI ad 
 the Materialists watched and studied the operations of 
 their own hearts and minds, in the hours of calm con¬ 
 templation ;had they allowed these parts of their frames 
 to exert a due influence over their opinions, they would, 
 probably, have felt the force of the great poet’s asser¬ 
 tion, “ Tis the Divinity which stirs within us.” 
 
 They may, indeed, have carried their anatomical 
 science and skill to that exact point where body meets 
 spirit; they may have discovered the precious matrix 
 in which this “immortal spirit” is destined at present 
 to reside ; but they wo uld not thus have presumed to 
 degrade its nature and its future destiny. 
 
 In fine, this material doctrine of the mind may well 
 
31 
 
 be said to savour too much of the shop ; and no well 
 cultivated mind can, I think, for a moment assent to so 
 degrading a doctrine ; and I shall conclude this subject 
 with an observation I have made on the separate exis¬ 
 tence o.f mind from body.—When two persons converse 
 together, the ideas of their minds pass from the organs 
 of speech, through the air intervening between the two 
 persons ; in this passage, therefore, an emanation of 
 mind exists separate from the body from whence it came . 
 
 It is conveyed, indeed, by the vibrations of the particles 
 of air it passes through, but it certainly has, during 
 that period, an existence separate from the body and 
 organs it proceeded from. A n emanation of mind, 
 therefore, can exist separate from its matrix, and in a 
 form of matter entirely different.from what it emanated 
 from. Is it then not possible to conceive, that mind 
 itself could be endowed with existence in the seriform 
 state, as well as in the solid ? 
 
 I now resume the narration of the course of thought 
 which has led me to form the present attempt at a 
 theory of the creation of our system, and, by analogy, 
 of the other systems of the heavenly bodies. 
 
 Being, as before stated, convinced that the earth had 
 been originally formed in water, the inquiry, then, natu¬ 
 rally suggested itself, what waters we had any historical 
 account of which could produce this effect ? The 
 chaotic liquor of the ancients, I trust to have proved, is 
 incompetent to account for the general geological 
 appearances, and therefore fails. The waters of the 
 deluge can only account for certain changes in the * 
 earth’s surface, which they may have occasioned, and 
 which, no doubt, give proofs of the reality of that deluge. 
 But the proofs of formation in a fluid, reach far below 
 the possible effects of an inundation which lasted only 
 one year. The vast masses of marine depositions must 
 have required numerous ages to accumulate, and even 
 the granite mass gives proofs of formation or of alte¬ 
 ration in a fluid, by the chrystals and heterogeneous 
 substances it consists of; and this stupendous mass, 
 which is supposed to form the whole interior of the 
 globe, must have required a correspondent time for 
 that formation 
 
To shew that it is not without good cause, we in this 
 work, attempt to vindicate the mosaic account of crea¬ 
 tion, and, by our explanation of the first verse of 
 Genesis, to account for the immense period of time 
 required by the modern geologists, we extract the follow¬ 
 ing note from a late work on geology :—“Although 
 the world is not eternal, it is nevertheless very ancient, 
 and, in calculating all the time that was required for 
 the formation of the numerous, beds which the globe 
 presents to us, for the life and reproduction of all the 
 animals and vegetables whose remains it contains, 
 according to the time employed for the actual forma-* 
 tions whose duration we know, we are forced to admit 
 that the world is at least 300,000 years old / 5 —Bo u bee ’s 
 Geol. Populaire, page 7, Paris, 1833. 
 
 The only waters, therefore, with which history fur¬ 
 nishes us to account tor these phenomena, are certainly 
 the waters of Genesis, Genesis, chapter 1st, verse 9th : 
 “ And God said, Let the waters under the firmament 
 be gathered together into one place, and let the dry 
 land appear, and it was so,” 1 then proceeded to inquire 
 if the Scriptural account of these waters would warrant 
 the conclusion, that the earth was formed in them by 
 the deposition of the strata and other rocks which the 
 latest discoveries in the science of Geology have pro¬ 
 nounced it to consist of. 
 
 After a long and mature consideration, I conceived 
 that the first verse of Genesis, u In the beginning, God 
 created the heavens and the earth, 55 will not only 
 warrant the above conclusion ; but, perhaps, also a like 
 formation of all the planets and suns of other systems, 
 by the highly natural causes and effects of those laws, 
 which the latest discoveries of geology and pneumatic 
 chemistry have found to exist. 
 
 1 further considered, that if the Scriptural account of 
 creation could thus be reconciled to those discoveries; 
 if the geology of the whole earth could thus be brought 
 in proof of the reality and necessary existence of those 
 waters ; the doubts of the unbeliever might yield to it, 
 and the authority of Scripture acquire new force. 
 
 “ In the beginning, God created the heavens and the 
 
33 
 
 earth.” Now, the term “ beginning” points to no spe¬ 
 cific 'point of time; and I have therefore conceived it 
 may have been ages previous to the time of the sepa¬ 
 ration of the earth from the waters, as mentioned in 
 the ensuing verses ; and that, during these ages, the 
 earth was gradually forming in these waters. By this 
 explanation, we shall be able to account for any length 
 of time which the formation of the globe may have 
 required. 
 
 Doctor Chalmers, in his Natural Theology, published 
 in 1836, page 254), says, il We shall advert once more 
 to the Mosaic account of the creation, more especially 
 as the reconciliation of this history with the indefinite 
 antiquity of the globe, seems not impossible, and that, 
 without the infliction of any violence on the literalities 
 of the record.’’—He then narrates the two first verses 
 of 1st of Genesis, and adds, “ Now, let it be supposed 
 that the work of the first day, in the Mosaic account, 
 begins with the ‘Spirit of God moving on the face of 
 the waters.’ The detailed history of creation, in the 
 1 st chapter of Genesis, begins, with the middle of the 
 second verse, and what precedes might be understood 
 as an introductory sentence, by which we are most 
 appositely told that God created all things at first, and 
 that afterwards, at/what interval of time is not specjfied, 
 the earth lapsed'iflto a chaos, from the darkness and 
 disorder of which the present system of economy was 
 made to arise. By this hypothesis, neither the first 
 verse nor the first half of the second, forms any part of 
 the narration of the first day’s operation, the whole 
 forming a preparatory sentence disclosing to us the 
 initial act of creation, at some remote and undefined 
 period ; and the chaotic state of the world at the com¬ 
 mencement of those successive acts of creative power, 
 by which out of rude and undigested materials the 
 present harmony of nature was ushered into being. 
 Between the initial act and the details of Genesis, the 
 world, for aught we know, might have been the theatre 
 of many revolutions, the traces of which geology may 
 yet investigate, and to which, in fact, she has constantly 
 appealed, as the vestiges of so many successive conti 
 
34 
 
 nents which have now passed away. The whole spe¬ 
 culation has offered a vain triumph to infidelity, seeing 
 first, that the historical evidence of scripture is quite 
 untouched hy this pretended discovery of science, and 
 that even should it turn out to be a substantial disco¬ 
 very, they do not come inio collision with the narrative 
 of Moses. Should, in particular, the explanation we 
 now offer be sustained, this would, permit an indefinite 
 scope to the conjectures of Geology, and without undue 
 liberty to the 1st chapter of Genesis.’’ 
 
 Thus, Doctor Chalmers has confirmed, in the year 
 1S36, the explanation of the first verse of Genesis, we 
 had, as stated above, formed in !S25. But with his 
 idea of the earth lapsing into a chaos we do not at all 
 agree ; on the contrary, there is strong reason to believe, 
 that from u the beginning, the undeviating design was 
 carrying on, of the formation of the solid parts of the 
 earth in the waters of Genesis, as stated in our theory; 
 and this the 9th verse shews ; for the earth having 
 been duly formed by the continued depositions of the 
 waters, was separated from them as appears by that 
 verse. 
 
 In further confirmation of the construction we have 
 put upon the first verse of Genesis, it will be found, 
 that the Rev. Dr. Adam Clarke, in his commentaries 
 on the scriptures, says, in commentiiu£ on this verse, 
 that the true translation of it from the Hebrew is ‘ In 
 the beginning God created the elements or substance, 
 to form the Heavens*and the Earth.’* 
 
 Yet it is to be observed, that a great part of mankind 
 have, perhaps, received the erroneous idea from their 
 infancy, “that the world was made out of nothing.” 
 Now Doctor Chalmers, in a late publication of his, on 
 Astronomy, says that “no part of the scriptures asserts 
 that the world was made out of nothing.” Modern 
 science has proved that most of the liquids and solids 
 of the vegetable kingdom are formed, in great part, of 
 gaseous bodies ; and the very clays and sands we walk 
 on, which were formely considered mere earths, have 
 been proved by Sir Humphrey Davy’s experiments in 
 galvanism to consist, in great part, of oxygen, which 
 
35 
 
 must be combined with the bases of these earths in a 
 solid state. 
 
 But fur the origin of the elementary gases, of whose 
 composition or origin we are yet ignorant, we must 
 refer to a creating cause. 
 
 By the famous discoveries of Black, Priestly, Lavoi¬ 
 sier, and other chemists and philosophers, a new world 
 has been disclosed to us. The constituent part of three- 
 fourths of the globe, water, which was formely consi¬ 
 dered as an element of creation has by these discoveries 
 been proved to consist of two separate bodies, oxygen 
 and hydrogen. Our atmosphere itself, the common 
 air, is no longer to be considered as one of these ele¬ 
 ments: it is composed of the oxygen and the azotic 
 gases; but neither oxygen nor hydrogen, nor azote, 
 have ever been obtained separate, in a liquid state, 
 They h;ive yet been found only in the form of gases, 
 that is, combined with light and caloric. By the com¬ 
 bustion of hydrogen or inflama'ble gas in oxygen gas, 
 the caloric and light of the latter escapes, and water is 
 formed, in a quantity exactly corresponding with the 
 weight of the gases employed in the combustion ; and 
 the same water may again be decomposed, and returned 
 into the state of the gases it was composed of. This, 
 therefore, being incpntrovertibly proved,—for all philo¬ 
 sophical chemists are now agreed upon the fact,—it 
 follows, that 'the waters of the Universe recorded in 
 Genesis, must have been formed by the combustion of 
 these gases; it follows, that if any part of these waters 
 are composed of them, every part must j and, therefore, 
 that the Deity, having first called these gases into exis¬ 
 tence, did, either by the power of electricity, the blaze, 
 of comets, or some other means, ignite the hydrogen 
 gas, which, by its combustion in* the oxygen gas, of 
 which the empyreal atmosphere may have been partly 
 composed, produced the Universal waters of Genesis. 
 That the Oceanic waters must have been formed by 
 combustion is proved by the fact that these elementary 
 gases, Oxygen and Hydrogen, may be kept together 
 for any length of time, and form no water without 
 combustion. 
 
m 
 
 These waters of Genesis must have been thus first 
 produced in a state of vapour, which, condensing into 
 a liquid form would, by laws of attraction, form the 
 Universal Ocean, (the matrix of our earth, and planets 
 of our system.) The vast body of heat and light disen¬ 
 gaged from this immense combustion, may have for¬ 
 med the Sun of our system, which, by the laws of its 
 gravity and attraction, assumed its place in the centre 
 of it, as we shall attempt to show in the Theory of the 
 Sun’s formation. 
 
 In the Montreal Herald , of 13th Sept., 1838, the 
 following notice appeared :—“Encke’s comet begins to 
 be talked of. This comet, which completes its revo¬ 
 lution in 1200 days, will be visible in the ensuing 
 autumn. It will be in its perihelion, or part of its orbit 
 nearest the sun, on the 14th December; about the same 
 period it will be nearest the earth. It is (says Mr. 
 Arago) a vast nebulosity, 64,000 times larger in volume 
 than the earth; yet, such is the tenuity of its substance, 
 than in 1795, Sir Wm. Hershell was able to discover 
 through its mass a star of the 20th magnitude. It 
 must be an embryo Planet , not yet reduced from vapor 
 to a liquid globose volume afterwards to be converted 
 into an ocean and earth, and organic formations.” 
 
 Here, then is a. complete confirmation (as far as the 
 opinion and judgment of Mr. Arago will go with men 
 of science) of the theory of the possible formation of 
 our ocean, earth and organic formations which we 
 have in this work ventured to present to the world. 
 Mr. Arago is one of the leading astronomers of the 
 present day. 
 
 We have now to inquire in what way, and by what 
 laws the Creator produced, from these waters, all the 
 solid parts of our earth? To form the ground-work of 
 our reasoning on this subject, we shall advert to, and 
 consider attentively, the accounts of the geologists of 
 the marine strata and productions found in the bowels 
 of the earth, and the experiment and opinions of some 
 eminent chemists upon the nature and products of the 
 processes of vegetation. 
 
 “The levels,’’ says Cuvier, one of the most eminent 
 
37 
 
 geologists of the present day, “on which marine pro¬ 
 ductions are now found, are far above the level of the 
 ocean, and at heights to which the sea could not reach 
 by the action of any known cause. Every part of the 
 earth, every continent, and every island, exhibits the 
 same phenomenon. The traces of revolution become 
 more apparent, when we ascend a little higher, and 
 approach nearer to the great chains of mountains. 
 Beds of shells are still found here, but not of the same 
 species as those in less elevated regions. When we 
 ascend to greater elevations, and advance to the 
 summits of the highest mountains, remains of marine 
 animals grow more rare, and at length disappear en¬ 
 tirely ; but the chrystallization, and many other 
 characters of these rocks, shew them to have been 
 formed in a fluid, &c. It is impossible, therefore, to 
 deny, that the waters of the sea have formerly, and for 
 a great length of time, covered those masses of matter 
 which now constitute our highest mountains; and 
 further, that for a long time these waters did not sup¬ 
 port any living thing.’’ 
 
 This last sentence is the only one from which our 
 Theory differs, as will be shown subsequently on the 
 authority of Mr. Lyell. 
 
 Thus we have the evidence of geology, that every 
 part of the earth contains marine remains: and that 
 even the summits of the highest mountains, where 
 these marine depositions cease to be found, give yet 
 evidence of formation by fluidity . 
 
 That these marine remains are not found in these 
 summits may, I think, be satisfactorily accounted for 5 
 Many remains are found in the same forms as when 
 they contained the living animals; but on taking them 
 up, they crumble into impalpable powder. 
 
 The summits, therefore, of these mountains, have 
 probably contained these marine remains in previous 
 ages; but being contiguous to the earth’s surface, have, 
 by the joint action of the air and rains, lost their orga¬ 
 nization, been converted into their component subs¬ 
 tances, and been incorporated with other mineral, 
 metallic, or earthy bodies.—Thus, all marble, lime- 
 
 D 
 
38 
 
 stone, and chalk, are found to consist of precisely the 
 same materials as every marine shell; all are formed 
 of lime and carbonic acid ; and it is therefore evident, 
 that when the masses of shells shall be so far acted 
 upon by the moisture of the earth, rains, internal fires, 
 and mineral solvents , as to lose their forms, and be con¬ 
 verted into powder ; that these agents, acting on and 
 percolating through them in various degrees, will reduce 
 them into beds of chalk, or lime-stone, or marble, and, 
 I think it not improbable, the chalk and lime-stone for¬ 
 mations of the earth have been, in the eourse of ages, 
 formed in this manner.—This idea Ihaveseen confirm¬ 
 ed by Mr. John Wesley, in his “Survey of the 
 Wisdom of God in the Creation. 5 ’ He says, in vol. 2d. 
 page 256, “Chalk is no more than the ruins of sea shells, 
 and lime-stones consist of the same bodies cemented 
 together by stoney matter.’ 5 Again “where the tree 
 falls there it lays,” says the Proverb. Any person who 
 has seen and noticed the aboriginal forests of the earth, 
 will have observed these trees in various stages of decay, 
 many of them reduced to a state of dust or earth; and 
 these causes, in the course of time, form hills and 
 hillocks. In accounting for the origin of peat earth 
 and morasses of black soil in Britain, a late writer has 
 therefore very properly, I think, assigned their origin 
 to arise from the gradual falling and decay of trees in 
 ancient times, which, falling in marshy or swampy 
 places, have decayed and acquired their black colour. 
 In a great many parts of America, it is well known, 
 large tracts of land are found in this state, being 
 covered by masses of black earth of various degrees 
 of consistence, from two to eight feet deep ; the subsoil 
 frequently clay. In an article lately published in one 
 of the English papers, there is an account, confirming the 
 opinion, that part of the coast of Australia, in the South 
 Seas, has been entirely formed by the manure of birds 
 called the Peterel , found there in such astonishing 
 quantities, that flocks of them are seen to cover a vast 
 extent of the atmosphere for days together. 
 
 These facts, therefore, offer corroborating testimony. 
 
39 
 
 that large tracts of the earth can, and have been formed 
 by the depositions of vegetables and animals. 
 
 In a geological work lately published in England, 
 we have the following account of the order of succes¬ 
 sion of the different layers of rocks which compose the 
 crust of the earth :— 
 
 Instances where found. 
 
 A. Vegetable soil. 1 
 
 B. Sand, Clay, Gravel, with Mouth of the Thames, and 
 
 bones of same species as other Rivers, 
 
 now exist. 
 
 C. Deep beds cf Gravel, large\ 
 
 loose blocks of Sand, all Surface of may parts of 
 containing bones of ani- -England, and especially the 
 inals belonging to species east and south western parts. 
 
 > now extinct. 
 
 TERTIARY STRATA. 
 
 D. Sand, Clay, Pebbles, beds' 
 
 of Sand, white Sand¬ 
 stone, many sea Shells, 
 bones of extinct species 
 of animals. J 
 
 E. Alternations of Lime Stone,' 
 
 containing fresh water 
 Shells, Clays of different 
 qualities, and Lime stone 
 containing marine Shells., 
 
 F. Thick beds of Clay, many 
 
 Sea Shells, beds of Lime 
 Stone, remains of extinct 
 species of plantsand fruits, J 
 land and amphibious ani 
 mals. ) 
 
 SECONDARY STRATA. 
 
 Hampstead Heath, Bagshot 
 Heath, coast of Suffolk and 
 -Norfolk, the stone oi which 
 Windsor Castle is built. 
 
 Isle of White in England. 
 
 Many places round London, 
 and a great part of Essex 
 and North-East of Kent, Isle of 
 Sheppy. 
 
 G. Chalk with Flints. 
 
 Do. without do. 
 
 H. a. Chalk Marie. 
 
 B- Green Sand. 
 
 c. Thick beds of Clay. 
 
 Dover Cliff’s, Brighton 
 • Hertfordshire, Flamborough 
 Head, in Yorkshire, England. 
 
 Many parts of S. coast. 
 
 Many parts of Kent and Sussex. 
 The Wolds of Kent, Surrey and 
 Sussex. 
 
 d. Yellow Sand, with beds ) Neighbourhood of Hastings, in 
 of Iron. j the Isle of Purbeck, 
 
40 
 
 In an account of the geological appearances from the 
 Lands’ End, in England, towards the vicinity of Lon¬ 
 don, the following facts are stated : 
 
 The principal groups of secondary rocks, from the 
 primary strata to the Chalk group, form the upper or 
 more recent members of the division. 
 
 The Chalk group, the Oolite group, the Red Marie 
 group, the Coal group, the Mountain Lime Stone group, 
 the old Red Sand Stone group, the Graiwacke group, 
 are of the following thicknesses: 
 
 Mountain Lime Stone group, 900 feet thick. 
 
 Old Red Sand Stone group, 1,500 feet thick. 
 
 Coal group, 1,700 feet thick, 
 
 Red Marie group contains mines of salt and marbles, 
 alabaster and magnesia, with marine skeletons: its 
 thickness in 2,100 feet. 
 
 The Oolite group contains about twelve alternations 
 of subordinate beds or systems of beds, consisting of 
 Lime Stones of different qualities, and of Clays : their 
 united thicknesses being about 2,600 feet, of which 
 1,100 are formed of two beds of Clay of five and 600 
 feet each. The whole groups contain a vast abun¬ 
 dance of animal remains, almost exclusively marine. 
 
 The Chalk group is separated from the Oolite group 
 by several beds of Sands, Clays, and Sand btones, and 
 including them, is 1,900 feet thick. It extends from 
 Flamborough Head, in Yorkshire, to Weymouth. The 
 whole group abounds in organic remains of the same 
 classes as Winford in the Oolite group. The above 
 groups make 10,700 feet. 
 
 Thus it appears, that both the Tertia and Secondary 
 formations of the earth, contain vast masses of the 
 remains of marine productions, many of them belong¬ 
 ing to species now extinct. Many of these latter are 
 said to be of enormous sizes. 
 
 The Coal formations must probably have been pro¬ 
 duced by the decomposition of marine vegetables, as 
 they reach far too much below the surface of the earth 
 to suppose them to be formed by those of a terrestrial 
 species. 
 
 The seams of Coal which lay below the Secondary 
 
formations at least, must, in my humble opinion, have 
 been formed by depositions from the marine plants and 
 animals, before the separation of Genesis, as I cannot 
 conceive that the vast masses which constitute the 
 Secondary rocks can have been produced solely by any 
 Deluge or Inundation* 
 
 Phillips, in his Geology, p. 158, says, “ The Coal 
 measures contain neither reptiles, birds, nor mammalia. 
 Now, had the coal been produced by land floods or 
 rivers, and deposited where the measures are found, 
 they must have containned reptiles, birds and mamma¬ 
 lia. The ferns also found in these measures, are from 
 40 to 50 feet long, and as Phillips says, are quite unlike 
 terrestrial ferns, which do not grow now more than 
 four or five feet. No effect of climate could occasion so 
 great a difference. Therefore, they probably were 
 marine ferns , grown in the depths of the ocean of 
 Genesis. In Sharon Turner’s “ Sacred History, 5 ’ vol. 1, 
 page 169, in a note, it is said “Linnaeus has only three 
 kinds of marine plants, fuel, centenas , and ulves. But 
 Lamoureux has shewn, that they have several natural 
 families : he proves that the hydrophytes have a more 
 complicated anatomy than has been known. He divides 
 them into six families. Lamoureux has remarked, that 
 the basin of the Atlantic to 40 degrees north, has a 
 marked vegetation ; so has the West Sea of the Indies, 
 comprising the Gulf of Mexico, likewise the vast coast 
 of South America, the Indian Ocean and its Gulfs, and 
 the shores of New Holland. The Mediterranean has 
 also a vegetation peculiar to itself, and extending to 
 the Black Sea. 5 ’*— Bull.Univers . 1800. 
 
 Now then, to refer to the words of Cuvier, u the 
 Levels on which marine productions are now found, 
 are far above the level of the ocean, and at heights to 
 which the sea could not reach by the action of any 
 known cause.’ 5 
 
 To what cause can we then ascribe this phenomenon, 
 but to the substantial, plain and simple one, the ori¬ 
 ginal formation of the earth : all its geological appea- 
 
 *. See also Note to 4th Edition, in the Appendix No. 2. 
 d2 
 
42 
 
 ranees give evidence of formation in a fluid. Of no 
 waters have we any record sufficient to account for 
 these facts, save the waters recorded in Genesis. 
 These, therefore, forcibly press themselves on our 
 attention, and appear perfectly competent to clear up 
 all these phenomena of Creation. 
 
 But water alone, that is, holding no extraneous subs¬ 
 tances in solution, either partial or complete, deposits 
 nothing. All its depositions are found to proceed from 
 extraueous bodies. The petrifying power of certain 
 waters, of which such fabulous opinions have 
 formerly existed, is solely owing to the deposition of 
 earths or salts it had previously dissolved, completely 
 or partially. 
 
 We shall, therefore, proceed to state our humble Con¬ 
 ceptions of those laws of nature, which the Creator may 
 have chosen for the gradual formation of our earth in 
 the waters of Genesis, on the groundwork mentioned 
 above, regarding the 1st verse of the 1st chapter of that 
 book. 
 
 Genesis, 1st chap. 1st verse.—“ In the beginning 
 God created the heavens and the earth.’ 5 
 
 I wish first to premise, that, as I consider this Scrip¬ 
 tural account of Creation to be the only one by which 
 we can, naturally and reasonably, account for the geo¬ 
 logical phenomena of our earth ; so, the only thing in 
 which I differ from the, hitherto, received opinions of 
 that Creation is, in the construction (which from a desire 
 to account for these phenomena, and to reconcile them 
 with the Scriptural accounts,) I have put upon the mea¬ 
 ning of this first verse of Genesis. 
 
 As before observed, I had, in the course of these 
 studies of nature, been led by them, and by reading 
 and reflection, gradualy to come to such a construction 
 of that verse as the following :—That the term “the 
 beginning.” pointing to no specific time , may refer to 
 numerous ages previous to the separation of the waters 
 from the waters mentioned in the 6th, 7th, and 9th, 
 verses ; and I moreover consider, that every man hath 
 a perfect right to form such a construction of the Word 
 of God as his understanding, after mature reflection on 
 
43 
 
 1-Iis works, and a diligent study of them may lead him 
 to ; and more especially when his design is good, when 
 he conceives he is thereby not only adding weight and 
 authority to these Scriptures, by bringing the evidence 
 of the geology of every part of the globe to their con¬ 
 firmation, but, perhaps, silencing thereby the infidelity 
 of the sceptic, and, as he may hope, exibitiug, in a 
 stronger light, the power, wisdom, and glory of his 
 Creator. 
 
 In the 2d verse of Genesis it is said, “And the earth 
 was without form, and void ; and darkness was upon 
 the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved 
 Upon the face of the waters.” 
 
 By this verse, it would appear, the earth was com** 
 pletely covered by the waters ; otherwise, the Spirit 
 would have been recorded as having also moved upon 
 the land ; and the 9th verse is confirmatory of this 
 circumstance, for it says, “and God said, Let the 
 Waters under the heavens be gathered together unto 
 one place, and let the dry land appear: and it was so.” 
 This event, then, I consider to have happened many 
 ages after the time of the first verse ; which verse, I 
 further consider, to point exactly to that period to 
 Which the f^salmist David, in Psalm cii., 25th verse, 
 refers, “Thou, Lord, in the beginning hast laid the 
 foundations of the earth and I consider this foun¬ 
 dation to have been the formation of the aqueous 
 globe of our theory,—the universal waters of Genesis. 
 
 We now proceed to our statement :— 
 
 The sea, or globe of water, mentioned above to have 
 been formed by those gases which the modern dis¬ 
 coveries in pneumatic chemistry prove all water to be 
 formed of, and being destined by the Creator to produce 
 habitable earth or land, we shall conceive this 
 aqueous globe to have been endowed by Him for that 
 purpose, with amazing prolific powers of life, both of 
 the vegetable and animal nature. 
 
 The remains of many of those marine animals, 
 whose skeletons have been lately discovered in the 
 earth, of a species never known to have inhabited our 
 
44 
 
 seas, are of gigantic stature and dimensions, as corn- 
 pared with those of any existing species. 
 
 The marine shells, the chalks, and lime-stone forma** 
 tions, which I consider to have been produced, as 
 above obseived, by the gradual disintegration of these 
 shells in the course of sufficient ages ; the Vast coal for¬ 
 mations, also prove, the amazing masses of animal and 
 vegetable life, which we shall now suppose, according 
 to our theory, to have existed in those waters of Gene¬ 
 sis ; and for proofs of which we accordingly refer our 
 readers to the geological statements in the proceeding 
 pages. 
 
 To account further for the primary earths, lime, sileX 
 or sand, sand-stones, flints, gravels, clays or aluminous 
 earths, terra ponderosa, magnesian earths, salt forma¬ 
 tions, metals, mineral substances of all kinds, and the 
 rocks and other substances composed of them and of 
 the primary earths ; we shall now proceed to a state¬ 
 ment of those experiments, opinions and theories, 
 which have been performed and maintained by several 
 eminent chemical philosophers on this important head. 
 
 In the treatise on Chemistry by Professor Chaptal, 
 mentioned in page 523, the following facts are stated to 
 have resulted from the analysis made by him of certain 
 vegetables i— 
 
 “ The herb Patience affords sulphur ; Vegetables, in 
 their analysis, likewise present us with certain metals, 
 as iron, gold, and manganese. The iron forms nearly 
 one- twelfth of the ashes of hard-wood. It may be 
 extracted by the magnet; but it is seldom in a naked 
 state, but is combined with the acids of vegetation. 
 The iron is not imbibed from the earth, but is formed 
 by the vegetative process. Lime, constantly 
 enough, forms seven-tenths of the fixed residue of vege¬ 
 table incineration, usually combined with the carbonic 
 acid. .Next to lime, alumine is the most abundant 
 earth in vegetables; and next magnesia Siliceous 
 earth likewise exists, but less abundantly ; leas com¬ 
 mon of all is barytes or terra ponderosa.” 
 
 As an evident and sufficient proof that all the pro¬ 
 ducts of vegetables are produced by the water, and, 
 
45 
 
 perhaps, the air, necessary for their growth, I extract 
 also the following observation of Professor Chaptal :— 
 “ It appears proved by Van Helmont, that vegetables 
 can live and grow with only air and water. He planted 
 a willow weighing 59 lbs., and watered it with distilled 
 water five years. It increased to 169 lbs., the earth it 
 was grown in lost only two ounces?' If one vegetable 
 be thus proved to acquire its growth from water and 
 air, the strong probability is, that, as Chaptal says, 
 “ all others do,” and, by the uniformity of the laws of 
 nature, we may conclude this law applies generally to 
 the vegetative process. 
 
 It is true that Sir H. Davy states, in page 12, of his 
 Lecture on “ Agricultural Chemistry,” that the result 
 of Von Helmont’s experiment was shewn to be falla¬ 
 cious ; but that the true use of water was unknown till 
 1785, when Mr. Cavendish made the discovery, that it 
 was a compound of two clastic gases, inflammable gas 
 or hydrogen, and vital gas or oxygen. 
 
 Now, although Van Helmont. was ignorant of this 
 discovery, the fact he proved is still maintained, that 
 water is the great source of nourishment of plants. 
 In vain would any of the modern discoveries be 
 brought forth to invalidate this great fact, since the 
 vegetation of every part of the earth demonstrates it. 
 In the thickest and largest forests, the aboriginal woods 
 of the earth, no sensible diminution of the soil is obser¬ 
 vable, though under the operation of so vast a vege¬ 
 tation— whence then can the products of it be obtained 
 but from the surrounding elements of water and air ? 
 
 In fact, Sir Humphrey allows, in page 211 of same 
 work, that “ when pure water only is absorbed by the 
 roots of plants, the fluid, in passing into the leaves, will 
 probably have greater power to absorb carbonic acid 
 gas from the atmosphere ; when the water is saturated 
 with carbonic acid gas, some of this substance may be 
 given off by the leaves, but a part of it likewise is always 
 decomposed, which has been proved by the experiments 
 of M. Sennebier.” 
 
 Now, carbon appears to be the great solidifying 
 principle of vegetables. The other principles are found 
 
46 
 
 to be oxygen, hydrogen, and azote, all of which are 
 obtained by the vegetative process from waters and the 
 atmosphere. Accordingly, in page 259 of the same 
 work, Sir Humphrey states, “ It is evident, from the 
 analysis of woody fibre, by M. M. Guay Lussac and 
 Thenard, (which shews that it consists principally of 
 the elements of water and carbon , the carbon in larger 
 quantities than in the other vegetable compounds), that 
 any process,” &c. Again he says, in page 211, “ Many 
 plants that grow upon rocks or soils, containing no 
 carbonic matter, can only be supposed to acquire their 
 charcoal from the carbonic acid gas of the atmosphere ; 
 and the leaf may be considered, at the same time, as an 
 organ of absorption, and an organ in which the sap may 
 undergo different chemical changes.” * 
 
 I shall here extract from the same work part of page 
 281, relating to the formations of the principles of vege¬ 
 tables by the vegetative process. M. Schrader and Mr. 
 Braconnot, from a series of distinct investigations, 
 have arrived at the same conclusions. They state, 
 that “ different seed sown in fine sand, sulphur and 
 metallic oxyds, and supplied only with atmospheric air 
 and water, produced healthy plants, which, by analysis, 
 yielded various earthy and saline matters, which either 
 were not contained in the seeds, or the material in 
 which they grew, or which were contained in much 
 smaller quantities in the seed ; and hence they conclude, 
 they must have been formed from air or water, in con¬ 
 sequence of the agencies of the living organs of the 
 plants.” These experiments are therefore confirma¬ 
 tive of that stated in the work, performed by Von 
 Helmont on the willow. 
 
 In page 282, Sir Humphrey gives an experiment he 
 made with oats to ascertain whether any siliceous 
 earth would be formed in the process of vegetation, but 
 
 * Now the carbonic acid gas that is formed in our atmosphere 
 does not exceed two per cent, and I think it highly probable, there¬ 
 fore, that carbon itself is formed in the vegetable by the vegetative 
 process, from the surrsunding elements, oxygen, azote, hydrogen, 
 hight, heat and electricity; which idea is supported by Sharon 
 Turner. 
 
47 
 
 he adds,“ the oats grew very feebly, and began to be 
 yellow before any flowers formed; that the entire 
 plants were burned and their ashes compared with 
 those from an equal weight of grains of oats ; less sili¬ 
 ceous earth was given by the plants than by the grains, 
 but their ashes yielded much more carbonate of lime. 
 
 That there was less siliceous earth, I attribute to the 
 circumstance of the husk of the oats being thrown off 
 in germination, and this is the part which most abounds 
 in silicon.” 
 
 Thus it appears, by his own experiment, some silicon 
 was actually obtained by the vegetative process from 
 the air and the water ; and had the growth of the oats 
 in his experiment come to perfection, the quantity 
 would probably have been much greater. Moreover, 
 in page 162, he allows that plants consume very small 
 portions of earth ; whence then can the trees of woods 
 and forests derive their growth but from water and air ? 
 
 Tims, although Sir Humphrey Davy supposes, but 
 does not assert, the fact, that these earths are taken up 
 by the vegetation from the soils around them ; yet, as 
 he does, in another part of his writings admit, that all 
 substances, before entering the tubes of vegetable in 
 nutrition, must be reduced to a state of complete solu¬ 
 tion in a liquid before that absorption can take place; 
 and as it is well known that argillaceous earth, or alu- 
 mine, silex or sand, and magnesia, are almost insoluble 
 in water, and that lime is only soluble in very small 
 quantities; I have therefore concluded, that such a 
 perfect and sufficient solution, as Davy admits to be 
 necessary, is impracticable ; and, therefore, that the 
 assertion (grounded on the forementioned experiments, 
 by Chaptal and Van ITelmont, namely, that these earths, 
 metals and minerals, are really and entirely the products 
 of the vegetative process) is much more probable ; and 
 I am the more confirmed in this probability, by the 
 following facts, and reasoning upon them :— 
 
 1st. As oxygen, we know, exists in a solid state in 
 all its oxydes, so it is, not impossible that the basis of 
 these oxydes, the metals, and several of the primary 
 earths, may be formed by the vegetative process, as 
 
48 
 
 the French Geologist, Chaptal, asserts, “ to replace the 
 constant waste that takes place of the crust of the earth 
 by the rains, streams and rivers ” 
 
 One hundred pounds of lead is, I believe, found, by 
 calcination or oxydation, to augment in weight to one 
 hundred and ten pounds, thus absorbing ten pounds of 
 solid oxygen from the oxygenous gas of.the atmosphere, 
 which can be recovered by deoxydation. Pit-coal, 
 contains a great quantity of hydrogen, most probably 
 in a solid state ; Pot-ash has yielded to Sir Humphrey 
 Davy a metallic button ; and. is therefore an oxyde, and 
 also contains oxygen in a solid state. 
 
 2d The Schisti, or Slate Mountains, are said also to 
 be formed by the decomposition of vegetables, and the 
 coal formations, also, to consist of the residue of vege¬ 
 tables, probably charred by a close heat, and mu 
 therefore, be formed of the carbon and constit uent gases 
 of those vegetables. If such dense substances can be 
 thus, in part, compounded of gaseous substances, 
 there is an equal probability that the gases separated 
 by the vegatative processes from the air and water 
 necessary to their nutrition, may compose the primary 
 earths, salts, minerals and metallic substances obtained 
 from them by decomposition or incineration ; and I 
 think it not improbable that future experiments may 
 prove, that all the primitive earths, metals and mineral 
 sabstances, are composed of the primary elements, as 
 we are now philosophically bound to consider them, 
 Oxygen, Hydrogen, and Carbon combined in propor¬ 
 tions innumerable as those products themselves, and 
 from which variety of proportion they receive their dis¬ 
 tinctive characteristic. 
 
 It is true ; that only some of the earths and none of 
 the metals have yet been decomposed, and are there¬ 
 fore considered as simple substances. Carbon, however, 
 which would appear to be the chief solidifying 
 principle of the vegetative process, is well known to be 
 susceptible of receiving the gaseous state by combina¬ 
 tion with oxygen into carbonic acid gas. If any 
 method should ever be discovered of separating the 
 oxygen from this carbonic acid gas, the carbon would 
 
49 
 
 be found again in its solid state.* Chlorine gas also, 
 when united with hydrogen by congelation, is found 
 by a late discovery to assume the solid state, in the 
 shape of chrystals more than one inch long. This 
 modern experiment is of great importance, as it proves 
 that two gaseous bodies can, by their combination, 
 form a solid one.f 
 
 As I have often repeated, also, in the body of this 
 work and in the notes, all the metallic oxydes and 
 several of the earths and alkalies must contain a great 
 quantity of oxygen in a solid state. 
 
 The most dense nature of bodies, therefore, is no 
 proof that they may not be composed of asriform 
 substance; and a vast and most important field of 
 discovery is, probably, yet reserved for pneumatic 
 chemistry, namely, the separation of the gases from 
 the caloric, and the light which retains them in that 
 form, and the obtaining their bases in the solid state. As 
 a proof of the vast importance of such a discovery, we 
 now suggest, that the nutritive parts of the vegetable 
 and animal kingdom must be composed (if our theory 
 in the foregoing work be well-founded) of the solid 
 bases of those gases; the discovery, therefore, of obtain¬ 
 ing these bases separate from their heat and light, 
 may possibly offer a mode of forming nutritive matter 
 not yet known to mankind. 
 
 Several of the gases have lately been condensed into 
 liquids and solids, by compression ; and, in the present 
 lamented state of potatoe cultivation, the idea here 
 suggested of obtaining the bases of the gases, may be 
 found worthy the attention of the chemists. 
 
 The idea of the unelementary nature of the metals is 
 sanctioned by IDr. Thomson in his Atomic Chemistry, 
 entitled, “ An attempt to establish the first principles of 
 Chemistry.” In page 35, vol. 1, he says, “ I am of opi- 
 
 * This has been done by the action of potassium on carbonic 
 acid gas. 
 
 f Carbonic acid gas has lately been condensed by the pressure 
 of a certain number of atmospheres into a. solid body; and the new 
 metal, ammonium, discovered by Sir H. Davy, is composed of the 
 bases of the hydrogen and nitrogen gases. 
 
 s 
 
50 
 
 iiioii we are not at present acquainted with any truly sinl-. 
 pie bodies. All our simple bodies are most probably 
 compounds, and many of them may be afterwards 
 decomposed, and reduced to more simple principles, by 
 the future labours of chemists. 7 ’ 
 
 3d. As an important and additional proof that the 
 process of vegetation certainly generates and produces 
 one of the most abundant and most dense primary 
 earths in nature, namely, silex, siliceous earth, or, as I 
 shall call it, the sandy principle, I extract the following 
 from the Elements of the Science of Botany, by the 
 celebrated and indefatigable Linnaeus :— 
 
 “ In many parts of the East Indies, there has long 
 been a medicine in high repute, called ( Tabasheer 
 obtained from a substance found in the hollow stem of 
 the bamboo. It has undergone a chemical exami¬ 
 nation, and proved to be an earthy substance, princi¬ 
 pally of a flinty nature ; this substance is also found in 
 the bamboo in England. In the hot-house of Dr. 
 Pitcairn, in Islington, subsequently to this time, there 
 was found in one of the joints of a bamboo which grew 
 there, a solid pebble, about the size of a pea. The 
 pebble was of an irregular form, of a dark brown or 
 black internally : it was reddish brown, of a close dull 
 texture, much like some martial siliceous stones. In 
 one corner were shining particles, which appeared to 
 be crystals, but too minute to be distinguished by the 
 microscope. This substance was so hard as to cut 
 glass. The cuticle or exterior covering of straw, has 
 also a portion of matter in its composition, from which, 
 when burnt, it makes an exquisitely fine powder for 
 giving the last polish to marble, a use to which it has 
 been employed from time immemorial, without the 
 principle being philosophically known. I 11 the great 
 heat in the East Indies, it is not uncommon for large 
 tracts of reeds to be set on fire on their motion by the 
 wind, which I conjecture must arise from the flinty 
 substance of their leaves rubbing against each other. 
 These facts cannot avoid presenting to the mind at one 
 view the boundless laws of nature. While a simple 
 vegetable is secreting the most volatile and evanescent 
 
51 
 
 perfumes, it also secretes a substance which is an ingre¬ 
 dient in the 'primeval mountains of the globe” 
 
 These facts, which have prod need the assent of this 
 Prince of Botanists, to the formation of a first rate pri¬ 
 mary earth, by the process of vegetation, are, I think, 
 sufficient proofs, in conjunction with those above stated, 
 that all the primary earths, the metals, and mineral 
 substances, and, of course, all the rocks compounded of 
 them have been originally formed by the processes of 
 vegetation and animalization. 
 
 It may, perhaps, be thought by some, that allowing 
 the processes of vegetation and animalization in the 
 waters of Genesis to have produced, by their decompo¬ 
 sition, all the materials of the geological productions, 
 yet, that the quantity of deposition required to form 
 the earth would be more than (they conceive) could be 
 produced by the vegetables and animals of these seas 
 or waters. But one single fact, which I shall mention 
 from an ingenious publication, u On the animals and 
 monsters of our oceans,” will, perhaps, satisfy their 
 doubts on this head. It is stated in that publication, 
 " the offspring of one single herring , being suffered to 
 remain unmolested in the sea for twenty years alone, 
 would produce more than sufficient to form, in bulk, 
 ten such globes as we inhabit;” and if, according to the 
 system I have offered, it be conceded that the design 
 of the w T aters of Genesis was to form and produce the 
 earth by these depositions, we may reasonably presume, 
 that vegetable and animal life were abundantly prolific 
 to produce that end. Beckoning a herring to produce 
 30,000 eggs, the produce of the females, in two gene¬ 
 rations only, would be 6,750,450,000,000 of herrings.* 
 
 I here insert some observations on the composition 
 of the granite mass, which is supposed by some geolo¬ 
 gists to form the internal parts of the earth, or frame¬ 
 work of the globe. 
 
 * The geometrical progression of each subsequent generation 
 will be found by dividing the previous one in two, multiplying the 
 half by 30,000, and then always adding the other half to the 
 amount found, and so on to the twentieth generation, and I have 
 no doubt the product of the twentieth generation would fully verify 
 the author’s assertion. 
 
52 
 
 This mass is composed of the assemblage, some times 
 in thick, sometimes in very thin laminae of various 
 kinds of mineral substances, such as quartz, mica, 
 feldspar, &c., all of which substances, again, are com¬ 
 posed of the various primary earths, lime, magnesia, 
 silex, alumine, barytes or terra ponderosa. The granite 
 mass, then, is ultimately compounded of these primary 
 earths, most of which we have shewn to be produced 
 by the decomposition of vegetables and animals; and 
 that this mass has been originally formed in,and depo¬ 
 sited from, a fluid, appears to me proved by the crystals 
 of quartz, minute scales of mica, and its appearance of 
 so fine a granular structure, and more aspeciallv by 
 the visible layers and laminae dispersed throughout that 
 texture. I have counted above twenty layers of a 
 white substance, in a fragment of granite or gneiss a 
 foot square. Gneiss is a stratified granite. 
 
 Had the granite mass not been formed by the gradual 
 decay, decomposition, and depositions of marine vege¬ 
 tables and animals, as we have stated in the theory of 
 Creation ; had its materials been formed at once in the 
 waters of Genesis, the various substances composing it 
 {the mass) would have united according to their mutual 
 affinities, and been precipitated according to the laws 
 of their gravity in vast homogeneous masses ; but the 
 visible deposition of part of it in layers and laminm, 
 seems to confirm the opinion of their having been depo¬ 
 sited in the course, perhaps, of numerous ages, from 
 the decomposition and depositions of vegetable and 
 animal life. And though we should allow, with the 
 Huttonians, that the crystalline appearance of this and 
 other primordial rocks may be produced by the internal 
 fires, yet this will not inform us, nor account at all, for 
 the original production of their elementary particles. 
 
 Now, although, from the more ancient formation of 
 the granite mass, few instances of visible vegetable or 
 animal remains are found in its interior, yet, as we 
 know that water of itself deposits nothing, but what 
 it has held in previous solution, either partial or com¬ 
 plete, and as we know of no other source, from which 
 the substance of this solution could be derived in the 
 
53 
 
 Waters of Genesis, but from Vegetable and animal de¬ 
 composition, and as we have seen, by the foregoing 
 theory and data, that vegetable and animal decompo¬ 
 sition affords the materials of which the granite mass is 
 composed, T trust we are warranted in the conclusion, 
 that, having been deposited and lain many ages previous 
 to the deposition of the secondary and tertiary strata, 
 and that, in a state of moisture, ail its vegetable and 
 animal organization has been destroyed from that 
 cause, and from compression, internal heats, and the 
 volcanic fires of the earth ; and that this granite mass 
 has been produced by the same means, which appear 
 to have been chosen by the Creator, for the construction 
 t)f the more external parts of the globe; namely, the 
 generation, decay, death, decomposition, and depo¬ 
 sitions of the vegetables and animals of the waters of 
 Genesis. 
 
 Accordingly We find, in the review of the third 
 edition of Lyell’s Principles of Geology, it is stated, 
 that “ the experiments of Watt prove that a rock need 
 not be perfectly melted in order that a re-arrangement 
 of its component particles, should take place, and a more 
 crystalline structure ensue.”—We may easily suppose, 
 therefore, [says Mr. Lyell,] “ that all traces, of shells and 
 other organic remains may be destroyed, and that new 
 chemical combinations may arise, and, according to 
 these views, gneiss and mica schisti may be nothing 
 more than micaceous and argillaceous stones altered by 
 heat, and certainly, in their mode of stratification and 
 lamination, they correspond most exactly.—Granular 
 quartz may have been derived from siliceous sand¬ 
 stone, compact quartz from the same. Clay slate may 
 be altered shale ; and shale appears to be clay, subjected 
 to great pressure. Granular marble has probably origi¬ 
 nated in the form of ordinary lime stone, having, in 
 many instances, been replete ivith shells and corals now 
 obliterated, while calcareous sands and marles have 
 been changed into impure chrystalline lime-stones.’ 
 
 I have chiefly made the above extract from Mr. 
 Lyell’s work, in answer to the objection stated in the 
 preface of my theory, made by Mr. Fairholme, regarding 
 
 £2 
 
54 . 
 
 llie granite mass; and I trust it will prove, that 
 although this granite mass contains at present no or¬ 
 ganic remains, yet it may have contained them origi¬ 
 nally, and they may have been destroyed by the heats, 
 fires, and consequent change or fusion the mass has 
 undergone from those fires, or perhaps from electricity. 
 In fine, I must here repeat, that I find no cause, after 
 the perusal of the latest works on geology, to vary from 
 the theory of Creation I now venture to present. On 
 the contrary, I find several of the German Geologists 
 have adopted the same opinion, namely, “ that vege¬ 
 table and animal life have been the cause of the pro¬ 
 duction of the solid portion of the earth,” The eminent 
 geologist, Hutton, was of the same opinion. 
 
 I, therefore, adhere to the opinion I have stated, that 
 the discoveries of the marine organic remains will be 
 satisfactorily explained by our theory, and the necessity 
 precluded of supposing the earth more ancient, since 
 the separation of the waters, than by the Mosiac 
 account; and 1 now conclude with an observation from 
 Sharon Turner’s “ Sacred History of the World.” 
 “ Therefore,” he says, “ it appears to me most probable, 
 that whenever the right theory of the fabrication of the 
 earth, and the era and succession of its organized 
 beings shall be discovered, it will be found to be com¬ 
 patible with the Mosaic cosmogony, in its most natural 
 signification.” 
 
 Happy should I be, if the theory I am now presen¬ 
 ting to the world, should, in its estimation, be found to 
 approximate to this description. 
 
 The late discoveries in geology of Baron Cuvier, 
 Lyell, and Buckland and others, as they comprise not 
 more than a few miles of the depth of the earth, (being 
 a mere fractional part of its diameter,) do not in the 
 least invalidate the theory I have formed, which com¬ 
 prises the entire of that diameter. I, however, repeat 
 and extend here the observations I have made already. 
 
 First, That Baron Cuvier, in his computation of 
 the distance of time, namely, 5, or 6,000 years, (at 
 which he places the date of his revolution as the 
 result,) does not state by what comparison or scale he 
 
55 
 
 arrived at liis decision ; and it is difficult to conceive 
 any scale he could have had, except a known quantity 
 or depth of deposition from rivers or lakes, in a given 
 time. If this, however, be the source on which he has 
 founded his computation, I cannot but consider it a very 
 insufficient one.—The power of deposition of lakes or 
 rivers could no more be compared to the quantum of 
 that power possessed by the waters of a deluge, or by 
 the primeval oceans, than the currents of those rivers 
 or lakes could be to the almost inconceivable force of 
 the waters of a deluge overwhelming a great part of 
 the earth, which must have been the case when the 
 waters of Genesis, 9th verse, were gathering together. 
 
 I should therefore humbly suggest the query, whe¬ 
 ther the period, at which these fossil remains of the 
 hones of terrestrial animals were deposited, may ascend 
 no higher than the time of the Deluge of Noah ; and 
 whether the circumstances of no human bones being 
 found in the particular place of these discoveries, has 
 been owing to those parts not being then inhabited by 
 our species ? 
 
 Or, secondly , allowing him to be correct as to the 
 period of 5, or 6,000 years- at which he dates his revo¬ 
 lution, and which, as he says, “ has buried and caused 
 to disappear the countries formerly inhabited by man, 
 and the species of animals now most known, that, con¬ 
 trariwise, it has left the bottom of the former sea dry, 
 and has formed on it the countries now inhabited.” 
 I would ask, is not this period, which agrees very 
 nearly with the time of the separation of the waters 
 by the Mosaic account, equally well accounted for by 
 that separation, and, therefore, instead of the countries 
 formerly inhabited by man “ having been then buried 
 and caused to dissappear,” shall we not rather say, that 
 the earth was then separated from the seas in which it 
 had, according to our theory of Creation, been formed, 
 and that soon after this period of the separation, Man 
 was created ? 
 
 This theory will also account equally for the present 
 appearance of-those marine deposits and organic remains 
 now found at the greatest depths of the earth to which 
 
mankind have yet penetrated. All these mating 
 exuvim and organic remains, and the strata under 
 which they are deposited, are satisfactorily accounted 
 for by the construction of the 1 st verse of Genesis we 
 have formed, as the basis of the theory of the foregoing 
 treatise ; and which construction has since been sanc¬ 
 tioned by the eminent geologists and writers already 
 specified * 
 
 I shall here add some observations on the Review of 
 Lyell’s Principles of Geology, of April, 1835, on the 
 subject of the antiquity of Mount fEtna. “ It is thus,” 
 it is said “ that volcanic formations confirm the evi¬ 
 dence afforded by the sedimentary strata of the immense 
 antiquity and lengthened duration of even the most 
 recent geological aeras.” But is it not probable that 
 the eruptions of fEtna were much more frequent for 
 ages after the time of its first eruption than what they 
 have been since ? Is it not probable the causes which 
 produced that first eruption have since been greatly 
 diminished by the numerous flowings of lava? Accor¬ 
 ding to the force of the cause, so must have been the 
 number and frequency of those eruptions, and theif 
 frequency at first cannot be estimated by the eruptions 
 which have happened in our times. The age of this 
 mountain may, therefore be very far less than a com¬ 
 putation formed on the frequency of deposits of its late 
 eruptions would make it. The eruptions, also, may 
 have begun for ages before the mountain emerged from 
 the waters of Genesis, and these sub-aqueous eruptions 
 been deposited before the sep aration of those waters. 
 
 It remains now to ofier some observations on the 
 Salt formations of the earth. 
 
 These formations offer strong evidence of our theory 
 of the waters of Genesis. The salt, occasionnally called 
 common salt, sea salt, or marine salt, is entirely a crea¬ 
 ture of the ocean ; no terrestial vegetable that I know 
 of has ever produced it, except when growing nigh the 
 salt water. 
 
 These vast formations, found in various parts of the 
 earth, must have unquestionably originated from saline 
 waters 5 and one way in which the separation of the 
 
57 
 
 salt from the water, which held it x in solution, may be 
 accounted for is, that parts of these seas have been 
 swallowed up by earthquakes or volcanoes, and their 
 waters exsiccated by internal fires: or, that these parts 
 of the seas have, by some revolution, been separated, 
 and not being replenished by any rivers, have been 
 gradually dried up by the sun. 
 
 But I should suppose the quantity of salt produced 
 by these accidental causes would not nigh amount to 
 the vast salt formations of our earth,— Some inten¬ 
 tional operation of Providence is more likely to have 
 been the cause of producing an article so indispensible 
 for the use of man ; and 1 therefore conceive, it is more 
 probable that these formations have derived their origin 
 from the decomposition of vast deposition of the marine 
 plants of the waters of Genesis. These must have con¬ 
 tained this salt in abundance, as do the marine plants 
 of our seas, and the other products of their decomposi¬ 
 tion have united, according to their affinities, to form 
 other geological bodies. 
 
 These marine plants must have contained sodium • 
 and the marine acid, to form the sea salt, has. probably 
 been produced by the decomposition of sea water, as 
 hydrogen is said to be the basis of that acid. Sodium 
 has the property of decomposing water, and, according 
 to Good, in his Book of Nature, “ the gills offish have 
 it also.” Or, if we adopt the analysis of sea salt by 
 Sir H. Davy, the chlorine (being entirely a produce of 
 the ocean) has entered into combination with the 
 sodium to form the chloride of it. 
 
 The substances, iodine, brome, and above all, silicon, 
 lately discovered,.will probably ere long throw much 
 light on the productive powers of marine substances 
 by combustion. Iodine, at the heat of 212, becomes a 
 violet-coloured gas. It forms an active acid by uniting 
 to hydrogen.—Brome is a dense liquid, and forms an 
 orange-coloured gas by a gentle heat. 
 
 Silicon is procured from silica, or the earth of flints, 
 by the action of potassium: it appears as a dark fawn- 
 coloured powder, which is ivjiammable , and which pro¬ 
 duces silica, or the “ sandy principle,” by combustion, 
 
58 
 
 This silicon has been, in a parfc of this work, proved to 
 be the offspring of the vegetative process. It decom¬ 
 poses water and acids. And here, therefore, we have 
 some insight into the means by which nature has pro¬ 
 duced. all the sands of the earth and the rocks composed 
 of siliceous matter, namely, by the union of the silicon 
 with the oxygen of the decomposed water, probably 
 after the decomposition of the vegetable matter con¬ 
 taining that silicon. 
 
 Sodium, also, a metal lately discovered by Sir H. 
 Davy, is obtained from soda, the basis of common sea 
 salt. This is, therefore, entirely a marine production. 
 The sodium is stated by Sir Humphrey to be so very 
 combustible that when thrown upon water it swims on 
 its surface, hisses violently, and dissolves; and that 
 silica, or earth of flints, probably contains two propor¬ 
 tions of oxygen and one of silicon. 
 
 As a further proof of the production of siliceous 
 earth, by the process of vegetation, we insert the 
 following extract from Sir Humphrey Davy’s admirable 
 Lectures on Agricultural Chemistry. In page 54, he 
 says, on the epidermis of plants, “ In the reeds, 
 grasses, canes, and [the plants having hollow stalks, it 
 is of great use and is exceedingly strong, and in the 
 microscope seems composed of a kind of glassy net 
 work, which is principally siliceous earth, and in the 
 rattan, the epidermis contains a sufficient quantity of 
 flint to give light when struck by steel, or two pieces 
 rubbed together produce sparks” It is known, also, 
 that the silicified seeds of the chara, a plant which 
 grows at the bottom of lakes, abound in the flints of 
 Aurillac, in France. 
 
 In Evans’s Agriculture, printed at Montreal, it is 
 said, page 51, “ The ashes of stalks of wheat gathered 
 a month before the flowering, and having some of the 
 radical leaves withered, contained 12 parts of silica 
 and 65 of alkaline salts in 100 parts. At the period of 
 the wheat flowering, and when most of the leaves were 
 withered, the ashes contained 32 parts of silica and 
 only 54 of alkaline salts.’ Thus, at one period the straw 
 contains 12 parts, and at another 32 parts silica, and 
 
59 
 
 this just at the time the plant is coming to its full 
 growth. Now, if this silica, had been taken up from 
 the soil by the roots of the plant, it would be absorbed, 
 by them in the same quantity at all times, and equally 
 diffused through the straw ; but if, as by our theory, the 
 vital functions of the vegetable form the earths just as 
 they require them, the above most singular fact will be 
 thereby accounted for.* 
 
 Thus it appears that the latest discoveries of the 
 celebrated chemist Sir Humphrey Davy, confirm the 
 existence of the siliceous earth in vegetables. In fine, 
 having had an opportunity of perusing the best and 
 most modern works on the geology of our earth, I must 
 here state that they serve to confirm my opinion stated 
 in the theory of this work, that the processes of vege¬ 
 tation and animalization in the waters of Genesis, or 
 universal Ocean, are the most highly natural, and rea¬ 
 sonable means, by which we can account for the ori¬ 
 ginal formation of the geological bodies; and that 
 these having at that origin been deposited in horizontal- 
 strata, have since been subjected to innumerable con¬ 
 vulsions, elevations, and disruptions by internal fires, 
 or the electric power, and consequently to great che¬ 
 mical changes in their component parts, is beyond a 
 doubt, and which the present appearance of almost 
 every part of the crust of the earth confirms. It is 
 therefore, probable that the metallic and mineral geo¬ 
 logical bodies may be combinations of the principles of 
 vegetable and animal life deposited, as stated above in 
 our theory ; which combinations have been effected by 
 the fires, or heats of the internal parts of the earth, and 
 the joint action of chemical affinities. In fine, the 
 vegetable and animal kingdoms are already discovered, 
 
 * It is also to be observed, in confirmation of our theory, that 
 as it generally hapens the rains are more abundant in the yearly 
 parts of the seasons, more silica would be dissolved by them, than 
 at the time of flowering, whereas the above experiment proves 
 that nigh three times more silica is formed in the plants at this 
 period; and I consider that this is a complete proof that (not¬ 
 withstanding Liebig’s opinion, that the earths are taken up from 
 the soils) the silica of wheat is actually formed by the process of 
 vegetation. 
 
60 
 
 by analysis, to be reducible to the elementary principles 
 oxygen, hydrogen, carbon, azote, and perhaps heat, 
 light and electricity ; and I think it probable, the mi¬ 
 neral kingdom will, ere long, exhibit, the same result. 
 For who would have believed fifty years since, that 
 from silica or the earth of flints, a cumbustible subs¬ 
 tance would be produced, reproducing silica or the 
 sandy principle by its combustion, and consequent 
 union with oxygen ? And, in fact, all the primary 
 earths are now found to be oxyds containing oxygen 
 as a component principle in a solid state. 
 
 In corroboration of our statement of the power of the 
 vegetative functions to produce the primary earths, we 
 have now to add a statement from Sharon Turner. In 
 his “ Sacred History of the World,” vol. 1st, page 93, 
 he says,—“ Vegetables have even some relation with 
 the Mineral Kingdom ; for they not only form the car-* 
 bon they contain, but some have been found to have 
 copper particles”; (and in a note it is said) “That 
 copper exists in a great number of vegetables, was an¬ 
 nounced in 1817.—Mr. Targeau found five millo-* 
 grames of copper in a killograme of grey quinquina, 
 eight in Martinico coffee, and nearly eight in wheat.” 
 (Bulb Univ. p. 139) He continues, “And several 
 vegetables secrete flint and likewise sulphur, as in our 
 common corn ;” (and in a note it is said) “Sulphur 
 exists in combination with different basses in wheat, 
 barley, rye, oats, maize, millet, and rice.” (Lindsay’s 
 Nat. Bot. p. 103.) Mr. Turner continnes, “We may 
 add iron and gold also, for both of these have been 
 found in vegetables.” 
 
 And in page 393, in a note it is said, “The energy 
 and even creative agency of the living principle of plants 
 appear in its power of converting material particles 
 into other substances. Experiments on vegetables 
 seem to prove that the solid matter which entered into 
 their composition in the more advenced period of their 
 growth, must, in part at least, have been produced by 
 some action of the vital powers and could not have 
 been obtained ab. extra.’’—Bui Physic, p. 307, and 
 Dr. Thompson’s Ch. 
 
61 
 
 In the Edinburgh Review of Buckland’s Bridgewater 
 Treatise, the following extract appears from that work : 
 
 “ It is marvellous that mankind have gone on for so 
 many centuries in ignorance of the fact, which is now 
 fully proved, that no small part of the present surface 
 of the earth is derived from the remains of animals 
 that constituted the population of ancient seas. Many 
 extensive plains and massive mountains form, as it 
 were, the great charnel house of preceding generations, 
 in which the petrified exuviae of extinct races of vege¬ 
 tables and animals are piled up, into stupendous monu¬ 
 ments of life and death, during almost immeasurable 
 periods of past time.” 
 
 Mr. Ehrenberg, an eminent Naturalist, has, since 
 Dr. Buckland’s Treatise, discovered by the microscope 
 the existence of fossil animalculce, or infusorial organic 
 remains, which form extensive strata of tripoly or po- 
 leschiefer (polishing slate ) at Franzenbad, in Bohe¬ 
 mia. The animals belong to the genus Bacularia, and 
 inhabit siliceous shells, the accumulation of which 
 form the strata of polishing slate. The size of one of 
 these animalculse is the three hundredth part of an 
 inch. Yet, notwithstanding the conviction which Dr. 
 Buckland so forcibly expresses, of the vast profusion 
 of vegetable and animal life which must have existed 
 in the ancient seas, and which could be no other than 
 the waters or ocean of Genesis, to which the Doctor 
 agrees, by the extract from the Bridgewater Treatise, 
 (see page 5 of our preface to first edition), yet, not¬ 
 withstanding this, he gives an opinion, in another part 
 of that treatise, that animal life did not exist previous 
 to the formation of those strata of the earth where their 
 remains are first found ; namely, the transition or se¬ 
 condary formations. We have given above Mr. Lyall’s 
 opinion, “ that all traces of shells and other organic 
 remains may be destroyed in rocks, by a heat not 
 amounting to fusion.” If our system of the formation 
 of the solid parts of our globe, by the primeval depo¬ 
 sition of vegetable and animal remains, be approved, it 
 will perhaps shew, that internal heats and fires, gene¬ 
 rated by the gases and metals of these remains, were 
 
 F 
 
62 
 
 much more frequent in those early periods of the 
 world than at present. It is, therefore, no proof that 
 vegetable and animal life did not exist prior to the 
 transition formations and during the primary, to say, 
 that their organic remains are not found there : an 
 immensely less heat than that which must have been 
 occasioned by the subterranean fires of the earth, 
 previous to the separation of Genesis, would be suffi¬ 
 cient to destroy all traces of organic remains, and to 
 produce a chrystalline structure and new chemical 
 combinations, as we find them at the present day. This 
 objection, then, to the pre-existence of animal and 
 vegetable life, because no present remains are found in 
 the primary strata, is not, in my opinion, tenable. A 
 great argument of the modern geologists is, “that the 
 causes at present in operation, must have been pro¬ 
 ducing the same effects in preceding ages.” Therefore, 
 by a parity of reasoning, conceiving the design of the 
 Creator to have been, to produce the whole circum¬ 
 ference and diameter of our globe, by the instrumen¬ 
 tality of those natural causes and laws which we now 
 see every where in operation, we infer, that the races 
 of vegetable and animal life were continually employed 
 for that end, since the formation of the primeval ocean 
 of Genesis, as stated in our system; and, that these 
 races were competent thereto, the present formation of 
 a large tract of the earth by even a few species of ma¬ 
 rine insects, evidently proves ; and it also proves, that 
 the Deitv could not have chosen, from among the laws 
 of nature he had created, so energetic an agent 
 of production s nee even electricity, though much 
 more sudden and violent in its effects, has not the 
 continuity of the agencies of life. The coral insect 
 alone has produced, as shewn in this work, an extent 
 of land equal in length to one eighth of the diameter of 
 our globe, and still coutinues its operations; and it is 
 even the opinion of some geologists, that another con¬ 
 tinent will, in time, be formed in these seas by means 
 of these insects. 
 
 Doctor Buckland allows that some geologists are of 
 opinion that fossil remains may have existed in the 
 
63 
 
 primary formations, and all traces of them may have 
 been obliterated by the internal fires ; blit he appears 
 himself to think (and gives a quotation, I believe, from 
 another writer) that the incandescence of the earth was, 
 during the primary formations, so great, that no ani¬ 
 mals could have existed in the ocean. 
 
 Now, if our theory be well founded, that the same 
 mighty energy of formation which has produced so 
 large a part of the crust of the earth, (namely, the 
 labours of the marine animals during life, and their 
 depositions and those of the marine vegetables after 
 death) ; if we allow that these same most powerful 
 causes may have produced all the formations of the 
 earth through its entire diameter, the incandescence 
 during the primary formations will not render this 
 theory untenable. By this theory, we account for 
 the production of the internal fires, by the ignition of 
 inflammable gases, and the metallic bases resulting 
 from the decomposition of the vegetable and animal 
 remains that had been deposited in the oceanic waters 
 and attracted to a centre by the laws of gravity and 
 pressure. 
 
 When a sufficient thickness of mass of these remains 
 was thus accumulated, these internal fires would then 
 be generated by the ignition of the inflammable 
 matter of their remains, and, during the existence of 
 these volcanic fires, an incandescence might have been 
 produced over a great part of the earth, which, for a 
 time, would destroy the animals of the ocean near it; 
 but, as these fires could last only until the inflammable 
 matter that generated them was consumed, when that 
 took place, the (then) crust of the earth would be cooled 
 down by the waters of the ocean, and future depositions 
 of remains would take place, until again collected in 
 sufficient, thickness to reproduce internal fires and in¬ 
 candescence ; when the same refrigeration must, in 
 time, have taken place, all the fuel of these fires being 
 again consumed. 
 
 In fact, this incandescence may, perhaps, account 
 for a geological phenomenon stated by geologists, that 
 entire genera of marine animals appear to have existed. 
 
64 
 
 at certain depths and have disappeared in subsequent 
 strata, when other genera and species have succeeded 
 them. May this not have happened by the sudden 
 destruction of these genera by the incandescence, and 
 the reproduction or reappearance of other genera when 
 the refrigeration, as above described, had taken place ? 
 
 But, further, if Doctor Buckland assents to the en¬ 
 tire account of creation contained in the 1st chapter of 
 Genesis, which he may well do, after agreeing that its 
 first verse will account for all the wonders lately dis¬ 
 covered by geology; in this case it will be seen that in 
 our concluding note, we have shewn that, by the 7th 
 verse, the waters of Genesis existed above the firma¬ 
 ment, even allowing this word to mean the atmosphere, 
 as thought by some writers. 
 
 in this universal ocean, by our theory we conceive 
 
 the earth and planets to have been formed; and we 
 
 know, from the 9th verse, the earth and its oceans 
 
 were separated from these waters at the six days of 
 
 the Mosaic account. This universal ocean must, 
 
 * ... . . 
 
 therefore, be of perhaps, illimitable extent, and it is 
 
 not possible that the incandescence of one, or even all 
 the planets, could have more than casually, and for a 
 time, (as we have attempted to explain), prevented 
 the depositions and construction of the primary for¬ 
 mations by the vegetable and animal kingdoms of this 
 universal ocean.—Heat always tends to an equilibrium; 
 water is a great conductor, or at least an absorber, of 
 heat, and the waters of this universal ocean would be 
 continually flowing over the earth, then forming in it, 
 until the equilibrium and consequent refrigeration was 
 effected. 
 
 We now return to the course of our theory on the 
 earth’s formation. 
 
 Vast tracts of the interior of the earth have, as above, 
 been shewn to consist of the shells and remain of 
 marine animals. The chalk and limestone formations, 
 I trust to have shewn, have also resulted from the 
 same remains ; and also, that the coal formations have 
 been produced bv the residue of marine vegetables 
 and a charring beat as well as the schisti or slate 
 
mountains. As, therefore, the proofs narrated in the 
 foregoing pages are, I trust, sufficient to prove that 
 every part of the earth has been formed in a fluid ; 
 that many parts are visibly the remains of vegetable 
 and animal decomposition, and that most of the geo¬ 
 logical bodies are resolvable into the elements of ve¬ 
 getable and animal life ; we now arrive at our theory 
 of the formation of the solid bodies, namely, that the 
 
 PROCESSES OF VEGETATION AND OF ANIM ALIZ ATION, 
 WERE THE MACHINERY CHOSEN BY THE FlRST CAUSE 
 FOR GRADUALLY PRODUCING, IN THE COURSE OF SUF¬ 
 FICIENT AGES, IN THE WATERS OF GENESIS, THE 
 VARIOUS GENERATIONS OF VEGETABLE AND ANIMAL 
 LIFE ; WHICH, BY THEIR GROWTH, DECAY, THEIR DEATH , 
 DECOMPOSITIONS, DEPOSITIONS, AND THE LABOURS OF 
 SOME SPECIES OF THESE ANIMALS, HAVE PRODUCED ALL 
 THE GEOLOGICAL BODIES OF WHICH OUR EARTH IS COM¬ 
 POSED. These bodies, as they were depositing, have 
 been attracted towards the centre of the aqueous globe 
 by the great and universal law of attraction, and before 
 and since the separation have, by the effects of in¬ 
 ternal fires, convultions, or the electric power, ac¬ 
 quired their present appearances. 
 
 Now, in support of our theory of the earth, we add 
 the following observations :—The law of gravity, or at¬ 
 traction, would necessarily occasion a vast pressure 
 towards the centre of the aqueous globe, of all the 
 particles of the geological bodies as they formed. The 
 vegetable and animal remains of which they were for¬ 
 med, as stated above, would pass through various 
 stages of fermentation —When a sufficient depth of 
 deposition was formed, heat, inflammable and other 
 gases, would be thereby generated ; and these internal 
 fires must have been in operation, pending many of 
 the ages required for the formation of the entire dia¬ 
 meter of the earth, in the waters of Genesis. Hence 
 must have arisen, long before the separation of these 
 waters, not only internal changes in the forms and ori¬ 
 ginal composition of the congregated masses of the 
 geological bodies, but also numerous commotions 
 in the interior parts, which have produced probably 
 
 f2 # 
 
66 
 
 many of the mountains, and must certainly have pro¬ 
 duced those depressions on the surface of the earth, 
 which served to form the beds of the original oceans 
 or seas at the time of the separation of the waters. 
 
 These internal fires of the earth, though at first sight 
 they appear to us the effects of accidental causes, will 
 probably be found to be an instance of the designing 
 wisdom of the Author of nature.— The deposition from 
 the ocean, which, by our theory, have formed the earth, 
 must have been originally deposited in a soft state. 
 By the continued pressure of the subsequent geolo¬ 
 gical particles towards the centre, they would no doubt 
 acquire a degree of solidity ; but perhaps the opera¬ 
 tion of these fires was required, to give them sufficient 
 hardness to resist the powerful action of the rapid 
 motions of the earth. These fires are, at the present day, 
 considered by the first geologists to be occasioned by 
 water coming into contact with the metallic basis of 
 the primary earths, by which the water is decomposed 
 and combustion ensues ; and in this case an absorption 
 of oxygen by these basis must take place and their bulk 
 be greatly increased, and this may have been desi¬ 
 gned by the Creator for enlarging the bulk of the 
 earth. The electric agency, also, has probably had 
 great influence in these internal changes, both pre¬ 
 vious to and since the time of the separation. 
 
 On the subject of the internal and external changes, 
 I wish now to call the reader’s attention to the inge¬ 
 nious and profound researches of Mr. Cuvier in geology. 
 It appears that, as the result of these researches, he 
 comes to the conclusion, “that if any thing be proved 
 by the gelogy of the earth, it is, that a great revolu¬ 
 tion took place on it from 5 to 6,000 years ago,’’ ante¬ 
 cedent, too, to the existence of man on those parts, at 
 least, of the earth, for he is said to have proved, that 
 no vestige or organic remains of the human species 
 have ever been discovered among the remains of the 
 other animals found among the strata or deposits he 
 treats of. 
 
 The period at which he states this revolution to have 
 taken place, agrees very nearly with the Scriptural 
 
67 
 
 account of the separation of the waters of Genesis, 
 We know, therefore, that man did not then exist. We 
 have, in concurrence of the opinion of this great revo- 
 tion, Plato’s account of his Atalanta, supposed to be the 
 extent now covered by the Atlantic ocean, which, t 
 according to Plato’s opinion, was formely dry land. 
 
 That it is possible such revolutions may have taken 
 place since the creation, is not to be doubted. The 
 oceans may, in the course of time, have worn away 
 those boundaries that have prevented their overflowing 
 extensive tracts of the earth, or the power of earth¬ 
 quakes, or volcanic fire, may have produced a disrup¬ 
 tion and carried away the barriers of the ocean: It is, 
 however, to be observed, that it is singular this opinion 
 of Cuvier’s is not supported by any account in the 
 Scriptures. Had such a great convultion taken place 
 soon after the creation, is it not probable some oral 
 tradition would have reached the time of Moses, or 
 other Scriptural writers, just as we have handed down 
 to us the account of the deluge of Noah 1 
 
 It were to be wished, therefore, that this eminent 
 geologist had turned his attention to the waters of 
 Genesis, as, I cannot but think, he would have therein 
 found a more plain and easy solution of the phenomena 
 he has so ably developed. The few miles of strata 
 containing the remains on which he treats would, 
 probably, have been deposited by these waters in a very 
 limited period, previous to the separation of those 
 waters of Genesis ; which would satisfactorily account 
 for the non-appearance of any organic remains of the 
 human species in these strata, because it had not at 
 that period been yet created ; and it would equally well 
 account for those fossil and organic remains of the 
 marine animals he had found in those strata; and the 
 vast period of time, namely, millions of years, he and 
 the other late geologists conceive these strata have 
 required for formation, would be also accounted for. 
 
 In fine, there is good and powerful reason to believe 
 that the account of the creation must have been deli¬ 
 vered to Moses by Divine inspiration,—It is not likely 
 that he, of his own ideas, or even from any traditionary 
 
08 
 
 account, could, in those times, have possessed that ex¬ 
 tension of thought that would have enabled him to 
 frame such a system, or to form the conception that 
 the earth was produced in a globe of water. 
 
 That it has been so formed, has not been discovered 
 by science until the present day, nigh 6,000 years after 
 its separation from these waters ; and, as I have said in 
 the body of this work, we have no historical account of 
 any but the waters of Genesis, to which we can refer 
 the phenomena of the earth, so I trust to have proved, 
 that the best discoveries in geology and pneumatics are 
 calculated to shew the reral and necessary existence of 
 those waters, and to add new force to the authenticity 
 and authority of the holy Scriptures 
 
 It, is, moreover, to be observed, that Cuvier gives us 
 no scale, by which he has decided on the time of this 
 revolution to have been 5 or 6,000 years ; and it is very 
 difficult to conceive what data he could have. The 
 time taken by rivers or lakes to form deposits of a 
 known thickness would avail him nothing, as their 
 power of deposition could not be compared to that of 
 such a deluge May it not, therefore, be possible that 
 the revolution he refers to may have been that of the 
 deluge of Noah, in parts of the earth not inhabited by 
 the human species t 
 
 Thus, by our construction of the first verse of Gene¬ 
 sis, it would appear that the present actual state of the 
 geological bodies, their frequent chrystallization, and 
 their gradual depositions in strata and laminae, can be 
 reconciled to the Scriptural account. That chrystalli¬ 
 zation and these strata and laminae must, according to 
 the evidence of our senses, have required numerous 
 ages for their formation and deposition. By the suppo¬ 
 sition that the time of the first verse was antecedent to 
 the. six days of the separation, the time required for 
 these depositions is obtained, and they are satisfactorily 
 accounted for; and, also, their having the appearance 
 of gradual deposition, which they present to us. As it 
 would appear, therefore, that the Creator has formed 
 the earth by those natural laws we find every where 
 established, we shall now, with humility, suggest, that 
 
69 
 
 the true meaning of the 4th Commandment is, that in 
 six days the Lord prepared the earth for the use of its 
 inhabitants. 
 
 By the experiments of celebrated chemists, and 
 more particularly by the authority of Linnaeus, we trust 
 to have proved a considerable number of the primary 
 earths and metals to have been formed by the vege¬ 
 tative process of terrestrial vegetables.—But conceiving 
 according to the theory in the foregoing treatise, that 
 it was the design of the Creator to produce the geolo¬ 
 gical bodies by the instrumentality of the processes of 
 vegetable and animal life, the labours of many species 
 of these animals and their decay, death, and depo¬ 
 sition, we may conceive aslo, that the marine ve¬ 
 getables of the universal waters of Genesis were en¬ 
 dowed with much more various and abundant powers for 
 the production of the geological bodies than we have 
 even found in the terrestrial vegetables. This superior 
 power of production would be necessary to produce 
 the design intended, and the same remark will apply 
 to the marine animals of those waters. 
 
 As it is very remarkable, that no mention is made 
 in the first chapter of Genesis of the creation of any 
 of the marine plants of the ocean, I will conclude this 
 part of the subject with an observation on that remar¬ 
 kable circumstance, namely, that it appears to me in¬ 
 dicative of the possible truth of the theory I have pre¬ 
 sumed to offer, that the first verse of Genesis refers to 
 a preparatory process of the creation, totally distinct 
 in its time and nature from the separation of the waters 
 and the primeval appearance of the dry land, as re¬ 
 corded in the ensuing verses, which took place in the 
 six days, at the separation of the waters recorded in 
 Genesis, first chapter. Because, the creation of the 
 vast body of the marine plants (required for the pur¬ 
 pose of nutriment for the marine animals of those 
 waters, who, by their death, decay, and depositions, 
 formed part of the machinery for the Creator for pro¬ 
 ducing the earth,) haviug taken place at the beginning, 
 as in the first verse, (being the preparatory process of 
 the creation, by which the dry land was, in subsequent 
 
70 
 
 ages, to be produced,) there was no need that mention 
 should be made of their creation at the period of the se¬ 
 paration, when the land animals and vegetables were 
 brought into being; for, and because, these marine 
 plants were included in the record of the first verse, 
 “In the beginning,” &c. 
 
 I have, since the printing of the second edition of 
 this work, had opportunities of reading the most mo¬ 
 dern geological publications, and finding therein no 
 cause whatever to vary from the theory of the earth I 
 had formed, I now proceed, in this sixth edition, to the 
 
 ELUCIDATION OF THAT THEORY. 
 
 The mosiac account, by the 1st, 2nd, 6th, and 7th 
 verses of the first chapter of Genesis, shews us that our 
 earth was first created in the waters or universal 
 ocean; and by the 9th and 10th verses, we learn that 
 u the waters under the heavens were gathered together, 
 and the land made to appear.” 
 
 We have shewn that this part of the Scriptural 
 account of creation is confirmed by the concurrent 
 observations of the best and* most modern geologists. 
 Indubitable proofs in every part of the crust of the 
 earth, shew it to have been “ formed in a fluidand I 
 trust the following elucidation of our theory will tend 
 to shew that such has been the case through its entire 
 diameter. 
 
 By this theory, we account for the formation of the 
 entire diameter and circumference of the earth by the 
 continued depositions which have taken place in the 
 oceanic waters of Genesis from the “ beginning” as 
 per first verse, which depositions have been formed by 
 the vegetable and animal kingdoms, and by the constant 
 labours of various species of the animals of that uni¬ 
 versal ocean, as shewn at full length in the foregoing 
 pages of this work. 
 
 In Lee’s Elements of Geology, (New York, 1840,) 
 page 171, it is said,—“ The Pacific Ocean abounds in 
 coral to the thirtieth degree of latitude on each side o 
 the equator ; so also do the Arabian and Persian Gulfsf 
 On the east coast of New Holland is a reef, 350 miles in 
 
7i 
 
 length, and between that country and New Guinea, 
 there is a chain of coral 700 miles long. The Maldivas, 
 in the Indian Ocean, are coral reefs extending 480 
 geographical miles north and south. These are circular 
 islets, the largest being 50 miles in diameter, the centre 
 of each being a lagoon from fifteen to twenty fathoms 
 deep ; and on the outside of each island, at the distance 
 of two or three miles, there is a coral reef, immediately 
 outside of which the water is generally more than 150 
 fathoms deep. 55 
 
 The following cut will serve to illustrate the general 
 shape and formations of these islands :— 
 
 Thus, a tract, nigh equal in length to one-fourth of 
 the diameter of the earth, has been formed by a few 
 species of insects alone. The vegetable and animal 
 depositions of the ocean of Genesis, then, were first 
 attracted to a centre by the universal law of gravitation, 
 and there formed the nucleus or centre of the earth.* 
 This nucleus being continually augmented in bulk by 
 
 * It may be proper to explain how the primitive races of the 
 vegetable tribes may have been supported before the nucieus was 
 formed. There are many aquatic plants which take no root in the 
 earth at all, but grow and float in the water. There is a species of 
 the fig-tree in the Edinburgh Botanic Garden, which has grown 
 foi twelve years, suspended in the air and moistened with water; 
 we have therefore a right to conclude, that if some species of land 
 plants have this power, many of the first created marine plants of 
 the ocean of Genesis would have it also. In fact, many marine 
 plants of the present seas grow on the rocks, and must consequently 
 derive their nourishment from the water. But it is possible that, 
 until the nucleus was formed, the primitive marine animals may 
 have found their nourishment in the waters, for the microscope 
 shews us that every drop of water contains myriads of the insect 
 tribes. We know, also, that the gills of fish decompose water, by 
 which they would obtain two of the elements of all vegetables— 
 oxygen and hydrogen. 
 
12 
 
 the unceasing depositions of the ocean, until a great 
 depth of the vegetable and animal remains were accu¬ 
 mulated, internal heats and fires would he thereby 
 generated, which would last until the combustible 
 matter deposited was consumed. The fires would then 
 cease, until another sufficient depth of fresh depositions 
 took place. The fermentation of these would again 
 produce heat, fires and incandescence, until again the 
 combustible matter last deposited was consumed. The 
 remains, after these combustions, would of course be 
 imcombustible, and would consist of all the primary 
 earths, sands, clay, time, magnesia, &c., and of the cal¬ 
 ces or oxydesof the various metallic and mineral subs¬ 
 tances contained in the original depositions of matter 
 above stated. 
 
 These alternate depositions from the ocean, must 
 have continued to generate these periodic fires, pending 
 the whole time required for the formation of the 
 diameter of the earth, that is, until the separation of 
 the “ dry land” from the “ waters’’ took place, as 
 mentioned in Genesis, first chapter, and 9th verse. The 
 depth or thickness of the depositions required to pro¬ 
 duce each of these periodic fires, it is impossible to 
 form any certain idea of. It may have required many 
 miles of depth of deposits, as they would contain 
 carbonic, sulphureous, oily, gaseous, earthy, saline and 
 metallic matter mixed ; but it is well konwn that it 
 requires but a small depth of vegetable matter alone, 
 being moist, and heated by fermentation, to produce 
 ignition. A common hav-stack is often fired by the 
 spontaneous ignition of its hydrogen. 
 
 Thus, according to this theory, we see that the inter¬ 
 nal fires of our earth at the present day, at least as far 
 as they have been occasioned by the above original 
 causes, cannot extend so near the centre of the earth, 
 because the periodic fires, above stated, would consume 
 all the inflammable matter at certain periods after it 
 was deposited ; each periodic fire would consume the 
 combustible matter deposited from the ocean since the 
 previous fire, and, after each conflagration the parts of 
 
73 
 
 the earth then formed must have remained in the state 
 of incombustible calces, to form its rocks. 
 
 This Theory will perhaps also account for that sin¬ 
 gular phenomenon in geology, of entire genera of ma¬ 
 rine animals disappearing at different depths in the 
 earth. The incandescence had destroyed these genera, 
 and it was not until the (then,) surface of the earth 
 was cooled sufficiently by the waters of the ocean of Ge¬ 
 nesis, between the times of the periodic fires, that fresh 
 genera of animals could approach it. These fresh 
 genera then approached it, and, as they terminated the 
 time of their existence, their remains went with the 
 other depositions, to augment the growth of the earth’s 
 hulk, and so on continually, until the separation of the 
 land from the waters. 
 
 The reader will here observe, that although by the 
 above causes of the primitive fires having ceased to 
 exist, and the residue of them being matter in a cal¬ 
 cified or oxydized form, except indeed the matter of 
 the last depositions of the ocean of Genesis, (which 
 may be one of the causes of the present volcanic fires), 
 that therefore no central fire, arising from these pri¬ 
 mary causes, can exist; yet we do not mean to deny, 
 that subsequent causes of fire may have, and are per¬ 
 haps even now taking place. 
 
 The electric fluid, as is proved by late discoveries of 
 Sir H. Davy, on the primary earths, (of which the oxy¬ 
 dized matter of tfye above conflagrations would mainly 
 consist,) is capable of decomposing these primary 
 earths and water also. It is possible, therefore, com¬ 
 bustion might be generated, even in the oxydes to 
 which the original deposits were reduced. Thus, in 
 the opinion of many geologists, there is a central fire 
 in the earth. 
 
 Mr. Lee, in his Elements of Geology, page 53, says, 
 —“From the result of all the observations hitherto 
 made, we may safely conclude that the temperature of 
 the earth increases as we descend, at the rate of one 
 degree for every eight fathoms, consequently, at a 
 depth short of a hundred miles, the materials of the 
 globe are in a state of incandescence.’’ 
 
 G 
 
74 
 
 Now, though I agree that, from the cause above as¬ 
 signed, the (electric fluid) internal fires might pos¬ 
 sibly be regenerated from the oxydized remains of the 
 primordial fires, yet I should conceive these subsequent 
 fires are more likely to be partial than general. I con¬ 
 ceive that the intention of the Deity was, by the means 
 of the primordial fires, to prepare and harden the geo¬ 
 logical bodies, to produce chemical decompositions and 
 recombinations of numerous useful substances, to in¬ 
 crease the cohesion of these geological bodies, to 
 enable them to sustain their rapid and powerful mo¬ 
 tions in the heavens, to elevate the mountains, to di¬ 
 versify the earth’s surface, and give mankind the use 
 of their mineral products ; and I do not conceive these 
 ends would be obtained, were the whole interior of the 
 earth in a state of fusion from a hundred miles below 
 the surface. The increasing heat of the earth, as we 
 proceed downwards, can be equally well accounted for, 
 by supposing the present fires to be occasioned by the 
 more recent depositions of combustible matter from 
 the oceanic waters of Genesis, which are still in a state 
 of combustion. 
 
 And there is one corroborative circumstance of this 
 stated by Archdeacon Paley, in page 388 of his Theo¬ 
 logy of Nature, namely, that “ by a comparative calcu¬ 
 lation with the force of attraction of a rock of granite, 
 the earth was said to have twice the density of tha,t 
 rock, or about fives times that of water,” which could 
 not be the case if the earth were nearly all liquid fire ; 
 for, deducting the 100 miles of crust from the diameter 
 of the earth, near 8,000, would leave an ocean of fire 
 7,800 miles deep. An idea so contrary to the ordinary 
 course and wisdom of nature, appears to me prepos¬ 
 terous.* 
 
 I shall now make a few observations on the time that 
 may have been required, according to our theory of 
 deposition from the oceanic waters, to form the whole 
 diameter of the earth. 
 
 We have shewn, in page 60 of the present edition, 
 the power of geometrical progression in two genera- 
 
 * See pages 8 and 9, Appendix No. II. 
 
75 
 
 tions of herrings, and that in twenty years of genera¬ 
 tion, a mass of matter could be produced, equal to ten 
 of our globes , that is, allowing these generations to be 
 undisturbed. Now that must have been the case in the 
 oceanic waters of Genesis. In our seas, immense 
 numbers are annually abstracted from the ocean by 
 the fisheries. Not so in the primeval ocean : there was 
 no abstraction of matter there whatever. The labours 
 of the Zoophytes and other marine animals, we infer, 
 according to the opinion of the modern geologists, have 
 been also “ going on in all former ages as at present,’’ 
 and would be another immense source of geological 
 formation. 
 
 It has been stated by some geologists, that the sedi¬ 
 mentary rocks have taken a million of years in their 
 formation. That is, no doubt, grounded on the supposi¬ 
 tion that past volcanic action and convulsion have 
 been the same as at present. I trust, however, to have 
 shewn, in our theory, that volcanic and convulsive 
 forces must have been immensely greater and more 
 frequent in the primeval ages ; and I believe that a 
 million of years ago, if the globe were then in being, 
 there was detritus enough, arising from that volcanic 
 action, to produce a million times the masses of rock 
 that any “causes now in operation” could do, and am 
 more confirmed in this opinion, from the vast difference 
 that must have then existed in the tenacity of the for¬ 
 mations, compared with their present state. 
 
 Whatever length of period, however, might have 
 been actually employed, we trust we can give it by our 
 explanation of the first verse of Genesis 5 but we are 
 not of opinion that the laws for the formations of the 
 globe have required any such immense periods of time 
 as is supposed by some geologists. Their comparative 
 scale of formation, drawn from the present actual forma¬ 
 tions, is totally inadequate. How, for instance, could 
 the power of deposition of lakes or rivers of the present 
 state of the world be compared with the mighty force 
 of the oceans of the globe, at the time of the separation 
 of the waters of Genesis, rushing over the newly-formed 
 earth with inconceivable impetuosity 1 
 
76 
 
 I trust that, by the above elucidation, the reader will 
 completely comprehend our theory of the formation of 
 the solid parts of our earth, by the powerful and vital 
 agencies which, we humbly conceive, the Deity may 
 have employed to effect this wonderful purpose. 
 
 We wish now to make some observations on a most 
 singular production, which we have fallen in with since 
 the publication of the second edition of this work : this 
 is Mr. Mantell's “ Wonders of Geology.” In pnge 
 400, vol. 1st. under the head of Geological Mutations, he 
 says, “ I will embody these inductions in a more im¬ 
 pressive form, by employing the metaphor of an Arabic 
 writer, and imagining some higher intelligence from 
 another sphere, to describe the physical mutations of 
 which he may be supposed to have taken cognizance 
 from the period when the forests of Portland were 
 flourishing, to the present time. ‘Counties ages, ere 
 man was created,’ he might say, ‘ I visited these regions 
 of the earth, and beheld a beautiful country of vast 
 extent, diversified by hill and dale, with its rivulets, 
 streams and mighty rivers, flowing through fertile 
 plains and palms, ferns and forest of coniferous trees 
 clothed its surface ; and I saw monsters of the reptile 
 tribes, so huge, that nothing among existing races can 
 compare with them, basking on the banks of the rivers 
 and roaming through its forests, while in its fens were 
 sporting thousands of crocodiles and turtles, win god 
 reptiles of strange forms shared with birds the dominion 
 of the air, and the waters teemed with fishes, shells and 
 Crustacea: and, after a lapse of many ages, I again re¬ 
 visited the earth, and the country, with its innumerable 
 dragon forms, and its tropical fruits, all had disappeared, 
 and the ocean had usurped their place, and the waters 
 teemed with nautili, ammonites, and the cephalopeda 
 ol races now extinct, and innumerable fishes and ma¬ 
 rine reptiles ; and thousands of centuries rolled by, and 
 I returned, and lo ! the ocean was gone, and the dry 
 land had again appeared, and it was covered with 
 groves and forests, but they were wholly different in 
 character from those of the vanished country of the 
 Iguanodon.’ ” 
 
77 
 
 This very poetical effusion appears indeed every way 
 worthy to 'be associciated with the Arabian Tales. 
 Counties ages, thousands of centuries, and other epochs 
 stated in these “wonders,” are tolerably latitudinary 
 periods, even for fairy tales. It is remarkable, too, 
 that although the author writes so highly of Dr. Buck- 
 land, as a great geologist, he has never mentioned the 
 explanation of the first verse of Genesis, which the 
 Doctor has adopted in his Bridgewater Treatise, purpo¬ 
 sely to account for these great periods of geological 
 mutation. At the same time, Mr Mantel! affects to 
 say, that geology, rightly understood, does not confute 
 the Scriptures, or, at least, the purest piety. He, at 
 the same time, would entirely set aside, as by the above 
 extract, the account given by Moses, that the earth, 
 since the separation of the waters in Genesis, has existed 
 only 5,800 years. Now, if this important part of the 
 Bible is not founded on fact, what an argument would 
 mankind have fcfr disbelieving the remainder? But, 
 fortunately, even these “wonders of geology” cannot 
 effect this. For, first, I verily believe that the carboni¬ 
 ferous formations offer sufficient evidence that they 
 were produced before the separation in the universal 
 ocean of Genesis; I believe that these immense club 
 mosses, these arborescent ferns, * so immensely, 
 larger than any of the present day, were marine ; 
 for I can never believe that any difference of climate 
 could make such immence difference in the size of the 
 plants. In examining coal, (that is not including 
 lignites or brown coal,) in any part of the, earth we find 
 no traces of woody fibre, which, had it been formed 
 of terrestrial trees, would probably have been apparent 
 Coal appears more likely to have been formed of some 
 soft pulpy matter, such as seaweed, and to have 
 acquired its present appearance by great heat and 
 
 * Lee, in his Elementary Geology, page 67, says, “In treating 
 on the coal formations, vegetables also, which are now mere herbs, 
 then attained the size of large trees, as, for example, ferns, which, 
 though they now attain the height of a few feet at the most, then 
 grew as large as our tallest trees.” 
 
 G 2 
 
78 
 
 pressure, and decomposition. This opinion of the 
 marine formation of coal is supported by Mr. 
 Maletrenck. 
 
 In Sullivan’s View of Nature, letter 38, page 109, 
 Mr. Maletrenck, in treating on the origin of coal, says, 
 —“ But this is a subject which we must examine more 
 closely. Vegetables, as I have said, have been con¬ 
 sidered as the cause of the formation of pit-coal. A 
 few forests, however, buried in the earth, are not suffi¬ 
 cient to form the masses of coals which exist in its 
 bowels. A greater cause , more proportioned to the 
 magnitude of the effect, is required, and we find it only 
 in that prodigious quantity of vegetable matter which 
 grows in the seas , and is increased by the immense 
 masses which are carried down by the rivers; these 
 masses are agitated and broken down by the waves, and 
 afterwards covered by argilliceous or calcareous earth, 
 and are decomposed. Nor is it more difficult' to con¬ 
 ceive how these masses of marine and other vege¬ 
 tables may form the greater part of the coal, than that 
 shells should form the greater part of the globe. The 
 direct proofs, in support of this theory, are the presence 
 of aquatic and marine substances. The soils which 
 contain coal are generally of schistus and grit; and as 
 the formation of pyrites, as well as that of coal, comes 
 from decomposition of vegetable and animal substances, 
 (for sulphur has been proved to exist naturally in ve¬ 
 getables, and animals), all pit-coal is more or less 
 pyritous, so that we may consider pit-coal as a mix¬ 
 ture of pyrites, schistus, and bitumen.” 
 
 Mr. Maletrenck thus supports our idea of the origin 
 of coal in the secondary formations. I have to add, as 
 a further support of this theory, that all coal contains 
 ammonia or its elements. Now terrestrial trees or 
 vegetables will not account for this ingredient of coal. 
 We know, moreover, that the remains of immense 
 masses of animals must have been deposited in the 
 oceans. The remains of whales, sharks, salmon, and 
 all other fish, many species of which, I believe, are 
 seldom found in the earth fossilized, must have been 
 deposited somewhere in the ocean, and it appears 
 
79 
 
 probable that coal has derived its ammonia from these 
 sources. At all events, terrestrial vegetables alone will 
 not account for it, for they do not afford one of its ele¬ 
 ments, azote. 
 
 “ The coal beds at Johnstone, in Scotland, and those 
 in the Creuzot, in Burgundy, are some of them, respec¬ 
 tively, thirty and fifty feet in thickness, while in the 
 forests of our temperate zones, the carbon contained in 
 the trees growing over a certain area would hardly 
 suffice, in the space of a hundred years, to cover it with 
 more than a stratum of seven French lines in thick¬ 
 ness.” * 
 
 But, whether time and further observation will 
 prove these opinions, correct or not, still the story of 
 the “beautiful country of the Iguanodon” can be ac¬ 
 counted for without overthrowing the narration of 
 Moses. Volcanic action, as I have shewn above, must 
 have been immensely more active before the separation, 
 and pending the subaqueous formation of earth in the 
 ocean of Genesis, than at present. It is possible, there¬ 
 fore, that some mountainous countiies may have been 
 elevated above the surface of the waters long previous 
 to the separation of the entire “dry land of Genesis,’’ 
 and that these mountainous countries may have been 
 tenanted by these reptile tribes, and covered by these 
 immense palms,coniferous ferns, club mosses, fine rivers, 
 lakes, &c. for many ages previous to the separation, 
 when the great bulk of the land was made to “appear,’’ 
 and thus the Mosaic account will be yet maintained in 
 its integrity, notwithstanding the existence of the beau¬ 
 tiful country of the “Iguanodon.” 
 
 In the preceding system of the creation which I 
 have ventured to form, and to which I was determined, 
 as observed above, on reading the ideas stated by Arch¬ 
 deacon Paley to have been promulgated to the world 
 by Buffon and other philosophers, I have made some 
 remarks on the assertion, or supposition of Buffon, that 
 
 * From the cosmos of Baron Humboldt, Vol. 1st page 281. 
 
 Note. —“ Here then is a great support of our theory of the for¬ 
 mation of coal from the marine vegetable deposits of the Ocean or 
 waters of Genesis. 
 
80 
 
 the globe we inhabit was formed by the stroke of a 
 comet knocking off from the sun (as stated by Paley) 
 a piece of molten glass, and i trust to have shewn the 
 great improbability and absurdity of this. Such a sup¬ 
 position would lead us to believe, that the creation of 
 our planetary system was not the gift of an all bounti¬ 
 ful Creator, but merely the effect of chance ; and if I 
 have proceeded to any severe reflections on its irreligious 
 tendency, I trust I am warranted therein by the opi¬ 
 nions given by Paley, of this doctrine being founded on 
 atheistical principles; that is, if I understand it, deny¬ 
 ing the agency of a Supreme Ruler of the universe in 
 the works of nature. 
 
 An opinion so contrary to all our natural feelings of 
 religion, it appeared to me the duty of every man to re¬ 
 fute, whose understanding should dictate to him the 
 errors of such a system ; and I hope to have shewn, 
 that, as it is completely unsatisfactory to the mind of 
 man, in the highest state of its acquirements, so it 
 never can be productive of general assent; and, in the 
 following compendium of my theory of the sun’s for¬ 
 mation, I shall re-advert to the above supposition of 
 Buffon:— 
 
 THEORY OF THE SUN’S FORMATION. 
 
 As the great discoveries in pneumatic chemistry, 
 made during the last fifty or sixty years, may not be 
 known to many of my readers, I here subjoin a short 
 account of them. About the beginning of that period, 
 Mr. Black, of Edinburgh, first discovered that the 
 change of lime-stone into lime, by burning, was nothing 
 more than the extrication of its carbonic acid gas from 
 the lime-stone, by the heat employed. This discovery 
 excited the attention of chemical philosophers to aeri¬ 
 form bodies, and Mr. Black’s name will be venerable 
 as long as the science is cultivated. A few years after¬ 
 wards, Mr. Cavendish discovered the highly important 
 fact, that water was composed of the basis of the two 
 gases, oxygen and hydrogen, which was further proved 
 by the experiments of Dr. Priestly, and the exact com¬ 
 position of water was finally confirmed by the accurate 
 
81 
 
 analysis of Lavoisier and other French chemists, who, 
 having decomposed the water into its elementary gases, 
 reproduced it by the ignition of the same gases ; and fin¬ 
 ding, by repeated experiments, the weight of the water 
 always equal to the gases produced, and vice versa, 
 that the gases employed to form the water always pro¬ 
 duced an equal weight of it. Subsequent chemists 
 have verified these results, and it is now universally 
 allowed, that all water consists of one part of hydrogen, 
 and eight parts of oxygen, by weight. 
 
 Our atmosphere has been found to be composed of 
 eighty parts of mephitic or azotic gas, and of twenty 
 parts of oxygen gas. These three gases, oxygen, 
 hydrogen and azote, which may be called primary, 
 have since been discovered by chemists in almost every 
 part of the vegetable, animal and mineral kingdoms, 
 in which also a great variety of compound gases are 
 discovered every year. 
 
 I now proceed, with due humility, to present to the 
 reader a compendium of the ideas stated in page 40 on 
 the sun’s formation, at the time the primordial waters 
 cf Genesis were created, according to the construction 
 I have put on the first verse of first chapter of Genesis, 
 by the combustion of hydrogen or oxygen, or other 
 combustible gases, created by the first cause, as stated 
 in page 40 of this work. I have presumed that those 
 gases were ignited by the electric fluid, by the blaze of 
 comets, or other igneous bodies, and that the extrication 
 of the light and heat, (formed by the combustion of these 
 gases, in order to produce the formation of the aqueous 
 globe, destined thereafter to originate the earth and 
 the other planets of our system,) that the light and heat, 
 so extricated have formed the body of our sun, which 
 forms the centre of the system, by the laws of his 
 gravity and attraction. 
 
 If I recollect right, heat and light have not as yet 
 been discovered to have weight; * but our means of 
 ascertaining this by experiment, in the usual way, is 
 very dubious. The bulk of a grain of heat or light 
 
 * See Note 1 to Second Edition, at the end of this work. 
 
82 
 
 may, perhaps, be sufficient to fill a house ; therefore 
 we could, perhaps, not ascertain the fact; but heat and 
 light are certainly sensible bodies, and therefore must 
 have weight. Heat expands and increases the di¬ 
 mensions of the hardest bodies in an astonishing man¬ 
 ner. Light is said to travel from the sun at the rate 
 of twelve millions of miles a minute, and also pene¬ 
 trates the most dense substances. Although, therefore, 
 the weight of these subtle agents be infinitely less than 
 any other bodies we know of, they are, probably, sub¬ 
 ject to the same laws of attraction and gravity.—We 
 may therefore conceive, that the heat and light 
 extricated from the combustion of these asriform subs¬ 
 tances, in the formation of the primordial waters, would 
 unite and ascend, by the laws of their gravity and 
 attraction, or by an original impulse of the Creator, f 
 to their position in the regions of infinite space, and 
 form there the body of our sun, and that the planets, 
 as they were formed, and were projected by the projec¬ 
 tile force, became subject to its attractive influences. 
 
 Whether this attraction be effected by an inherent 
 power of the sun, or, that it may be owing in part to 
 the influence of the vast stream of aeriform substance 
 passing towards him, to supply him with fuel, I shall 
 presently consider. I shall, however, previously make 
 some remarks, in addition to those offered above, on the 
 idea, of Buffon, of molten glass having formed our earth 
 and the planets of our system. It is, I consider, impos¬ 
 sible to conceive that glass could exist in the stupendous 
 heat of the sun s fire. 
 
 f As light is known to exist in two separate states, namely, latent 
 and active, and as we are told, in the 3d verse of Genesis, “ Dark¬ 
 ness was on the face of the deep,” it is probable the light evolved 
 in the combustion of the gases was diffused through the regions of 
 space in its latent form, and was not elicited into its active and 
 visible state until the time of the 3d verse; and it is remarkable, 
 that the first operation of Deity, at the time of the separation, was 
 the evolution of light in its active and visible state, and the collec¬ 
 tion of it into one vast focus, the sun of our system, as by the 4th 
 verse. And I am happy to think that our theory of the formation 
 of light, by the combustion of the gases, will serve to remove a 
 frequent objection to the Mosaic account, namely, the existence of 
 light before the sun is said to be formed in the first chapter of 
 Genesis. 
 
83 
 
 Glass is formed in our planet of siliceous earth and 
 pot-ash. The former we have before proved, on the 
 authority of Linnasus, to be composed by the vegetable 
 process; its parts are therefore formed of the gases 
 which the vegetable extracts from the water and air it 
 imbibes for its nutrition. The latter (pot-ash) has also 
 yielded to Sir A. Davy a metallic button. It is there¬ 
 fore an oxyde, and must contain much oxygen. Sili¬ 
 ceous earth and pot-ash, the component parts of glass, 
 are then mostly composed of aeriform substance. We 
 know that the diamond, which is probably much more 
 dense than siliceous earth, has been volatilized in part 
 by burning lenses, or by streams of oxygen gas in a 
 state of ignition. What can these heats be in compa¬ 
 rison to the sun’s fire ? Perhaps as an atom to a world. 
 
 I trust, therefore, it is more consistent with the 
 sacred documents we have had handed down to us by 
 our religion,—with the operations of nature we are 
 enabled to examine—with the admirable simplicity 
 and order of the laws by which the First Cause hath 
 directed the operations of that nature—to believe, that 
 having first formed the principles which, in the present 
 state of our knowledge , we must call elementary , He 
 proceeded, by the combination of these principles, by 
 combustion, to form the waters which were destined 
 thereafter to produce our earth and planets. 
 
 It is indeed possible that these elements, oxygen, 
 hydrogen and azote, may be compounded of other 
 final elements of much greater energy than themselves, 
 but the rules of science forbid us to consider that as 
 the fact, until we have, found it by experiment. We 
 have therefore, only to carry our knowledge of these 
 principles into our reflections on the construction of 
 our system, and with humility, praise and adoration, 
 to conceive, that as most, or all, the geological bodies 
 we have analized, are found to consist of these prin¬ 
 ciples, they may have been those with which the 
 First Cause, with amazing skill and effect, has ope¬ 
 rated the wonderful system of creation He hath bes¬ 
 towed on us. 
 
84 
 
 In the contemplation of this creation, and of the 
 recent discoveries in pneumatic chemistry, I trust to 
 have shewn the possibility that our sun may have been 
 formed at the time of the formation of the primordial 
 waters of Genesis ; and as before stated, I have consi¬ 
 dered the other planets of our systems, and their 
 moons, to have been formed in the same manner, at 
 the time when, by the creative mandate, the combus¬ 
 tion of the gasses took place, and which 1 consider to 
 be meant and recorded by the 1st verse of 1st chap, 
 of Genesis. So I likewise conceive that our sun was 
 formed at the same time, by the vast body of heat and 
 light disengaged by the stupendous combustion, and 
 that having found his position in the regions of infinite 
 space, according to the laws of his nature, he exerted 
 his attractive influences on the planets of our system, 
 of which he became the centre. 
 
 We have now to consider by what laws the vast 
 waste of the heat and light of the sun is replenished; 
 and as our conceptions thereon will be found in some 
 decree at variance with the hitherto received ideas of 
 
 V 
 
 the nature of the spaces between the sun and planets, 
 and the regions of infinite space, and bear also consi¬ 
 derably on the nature of the sun’s influence on those 
 planets, we shall first make some observations on the 
 
 ATTRACTION OF MATTER. 
 
 It is said by philosophers that all bodies are attract 
 ed to the earth’s centre : all bodies thrown into the air 
 from the earth descend to the earth’s surface when the 
 propelling force is spent, and when the body is arrested 
 by the atmosphere through which it passes. It is said 
 by Paley, page 449 of his natural Theology, that “One 
 principle of gravitation causes a stone to drop towards 
 the earth, and the moon to whirl round it; one law of 
 attraction carries all the different planets round the 
 sun.” This, he says, philosophers demonstrate; and at 
 page 388 he adds, “Calculations were made some 
 years ago of the mean density of the earth, by com¬ 
 paring the force of its attraction with the force of the 
 attraction of a rock of granite, the bulk of which could 
 
85 
 
 be ascertained, and the upshot of the calculation was, 
 that the earth, upon an average through its whole 
 sphere, was twice the density of granite, or about five 
 times that of water.” 
 
 Now, respecting the principle of attraction, 1 have 
 to remark, that in chemistry we know with certainty 
 that particles of matter have a mutual and elective 
 attraction called affmitv. When an acid is united with 
 a metal into a neutral salt by this attraction, it may be 
 separated from it by any substance with which the acid 
 or its particles have a greater affinity. Thus, if iron, or 
 its oxydes, be dissolved in sulphuric acid, it forms green 
 vitriol, commonly called copperas ; but by adding an 
 alkali to the solution, the iron precipitates, and a neutral 
 salt is formed of the sulphuric acid and the alkali. 
 
 In a lake or pond in the isle of Anglesea, in Wales, 
 the water holds blue vitriol, or copperas in solution, 
 which is a salt composed of copper and the sulphuric 
 acid. When iron hoops are thrown into the pond or 
 lake, they become covered with copper scales, which is 
 scraped off, and found to be the purest copper in nature. 
 This decomposition of the blue vitriol takes place 
 because the particles of iron have a greater affinity or 
 elective attraction for the sulphuric acid than the cop¬ 
 per has. 
 
 The load-stone is well known to attract iron, even in 
 a cold state. Pieces of iron rubbed with the load-stone 
 become also magnetic ; two pieces of wood, or cordage 
 and wood, and probably many other substances, by 
 friction to a great degree, take fire ; that is to say: 
 they become raised to that degree of temperature by 
 that friction, that their particles attract the oxygen 
 from the azotic gas, and from the light and heat with 
 which they are combined in our atmosphere. Certain 
 stones also, as flints, being struck against iron or steel, 
 heat the particles of the steel so as to calcine them ; 
 that is, they bring these particles to the temperature 
 at which they also decompose the oxygen gas of the 
 atmosphere, and disengage its latent light and heat. 
 Thus the attraction of matter is certainly proved by 
 chemistry. 
 
 H 
 
86 
 
 But how is the attraction of large and solid bodies 
 proved in the usual temperature of the atmosphere, as 
 in the case of the block of granite mentioned by Faley P 
 One rock of granite placed alongside another will 
 evince no attraction. It is said, indeed, that some 
 islands, having much iron ore, have attracted a vessel 
 from her course, which, if it be the fact, may perhaps 
 also prove the attraction of matter of a certain deseri- 
 tion ; but I know no other way by which the attraction 
 or density of the rock of granite could be proved, but 
 by breaking it by some other body, and ascertaining 
 the weight of the stroke ; thus, if a hundred-weight of 
 granite required a stroke of a certain number of pounds 
 to break it, and a rock of some other species required 
 only a force of half that number, its attraction or density 
 might be said to be half that of the granite. Thus far, 
 then, attraction would be proved by chemistry and 
 geology also. But, that the Creator originally fixed 
 some such law as attraction, for the cohesion of the 
 particles of matter, appears highly reasonable ; else, 
 how should the earth and planets, travelling at such 
 an immense rate in their orbits, be retained in their 
 present forms, notwithstanding the power of such 
 velocity of motion ?— A ball of snow, when impelled 
 by the force of the arm, if it be not rendered sufficiently 
 dense by compressure, separates into innumerable 
 parts ; and it must have been the same with the earth 
 and the planets but for some law of attraction or cohe¬ 
 sion, to resist the attrition of their rapid motion 
 through the heavens. 
 
 This attraction, then, ofthe particles of matter, seems 
 to be indispensible to their existence as spheres; but 
 the attraction of these for each other, though generally 
 agreed to by the philosophers, appears more dubious 
 and uncertain. This doubt is supported by their im¬ 
 mense distances, which may, indeed, be founded on a 
 crude idea, and the doubt may perhaps be dissipated on 
 further consideration. 
 
 The moon is observed, in its approach, to occasion 
 high risings or tides of the waters of the earth, which 
 recede on its retiring. This, it seems to me, is an al- 
 
87 
 
 most incontrovertible proof that the atmosphere (for 
 storms are often generated at the same approach of the 
 moon) and waters of the earth and seas are attracted 
 by the moon. If the moon has this power, we may 
 reasonably conclude that other planets have this power 
 also, governed by certain laws of distance and di¬ 
 mension. 
 
 Now, as to the manner in which the sun exerts his 
 attractive influence on the earth and the other planets. 
 His attraction is said, by philosophers, to be the cause 
 why the earth and planets, having been originally pro¬ 
 jected in a right line, do not move in that right line, 
 but in their respective orbits round the sun. As to the 
 opinions of these philosophers, of the nature of the 
 sun’s substance, I am not aware, except as above stated 
 by Paley. that Buffon supposes it to consist of molten 
 glass. I trust to have shewn, in the foregoing pages, 
 the improbability of this, and that it is more probable 
 to be a body of light and heat. His density, in that 
 case, cannot be equal, bulk for bulk, to the density of 
 the planets, which are, with reason, considered to be 
 inhabited, and must probably be farmed of solid matter. 
 But, as to the nature of the sun’s substance, I confess 
 I cannot conceive it possible that a body of such in¬ 
 conceivable heat, should consist of any thing else 
 than gaseous substance. We know of nothing here 
 below that can produce light and heat with more in¬ 
 tensity than the decomposition of oxygen gas. Why 
 should we not reason by analogy, that the light and 
 heat of the sun are produced by the same means ? All i 
 the other means we have of producing heat by 
 burning-glasses, or by friction, are derived from the 
 sun ; and nothing is more remarkable in nature, in her 
 general principles, than uniformity of means. The 
 principle of gravity is said to be the same in an apple 
 falling to the ground, as in the motions of the heavenly 
 bodies. Is it not, then, impossible to conceive that, in 
 the sun’s heat, solid or liquid substances could exist P 
 The diamond is volatilized into vapours, and, if I 
 recollect right, the perfect metals also, by the galvanic 
 power. It has inded been supposed by some, that the 
 
88 
 
 sun may be habitable ; that the heat of the particles of 
 light is owing to their friction or attrition, in their 
 passage to the planets. This idea, of no heat in the 
 sun, arose in part from the existence of ice and snow 
 on high mountains in the torrid zone, which is now 
 thoroughly explained from terrestrial causes, byLambin, 
 De Luc, Bougan and De Saussure. By such a suppo¬ 
 sition, we should be forced to conclude that the planets 
 farthest off from the sun were the most warm, which 
 I imagine is totally contrary to probability, to the opi¬ 
 nions of the greatest philosophers, and to the evidence 
 of our own senses in the planet which we inhabit. 
 
 “ A fact well known,” says De Saussure, “ and which 
 proves strongly to my mind that the action of the solar 
 rays (considered in themselves, and independent of all 
 exterior causes of cold,) is as great on the tops of 
 mountains as in the level country, is, that the force of 
 a lens is the same at all heights. I am therefore 
 convinced with Bougan,” continues he, “that the prin¬ 
 cipal reason of the cold which reigns on the tops of 
 mountains is, that they are always surrounded and 
 covered by an air that is invariably cold, and that that 
 air is cold because it cannot be greatly heated, neither 
 by the rays of the sun, in consequece of the transpa¬ 
 rency of this air, nor by the surface of the earth, on 
 account of its distance from that surface.’’ 
 
 “ That the temperature,” says Sir John Herschell, 
 “at the visible surface of the sun, cannot be otherwise 
 than very elevated, much more so than any artificial 
 heat produced in any of our furnaces, or by chemical or 
 galvanic processes, we have indications of several 
 kinds ; first, from the law of decrease of radiant heat 
 and light, which being inversely, as the squares of the 
 distance, it follows that the heat received on a given 
 area exposed at the distance of the earth, and on an 
 equal area at the visible surface of the sun, must be in 
 proportion to the area of the sky occupied by the sun’s 
 disk to the whole hemisphere, or as one to about 
 300,000.* 
 
 * Thus, by Sir John’s estimate, the heat of the sun must be 
 300,000 times greater than that received from it by the earth. 
 
89 
 
 According to our theory of the sun, as above stated, 
 we say that the sun is a mass of burning seriform subs¬ 
 tance, such as hydrogen gas, or some mixture thereof, 
 which has the power of decomposing oxgen gas, and of 
 throwing off its light and heat. The union of the basis 
 of these gases, oxygen and hydrogen, would form water 
 in the state of vapour, which would either be driven oft 
 into the heavens, and be in future decomposed, as 
 happens in our atmosphere, by the electric fluid, or be 
 otherwise condensed into aqueous globes, for the future 
 formation of other heavenly bodies.f 
 
 I shall now offer some observations on the idea of 
 the philosophers, on the existence of a vacuum in the 
 spaces through which the planets move. 
 
 If we consider the projectile, force to have been 
 ab origine given to the planets by the Creator, we 
 may suppose that this force was greater than what 
 would have been required to produce their motions 
 round the sun, if a vacuum had existed ; as thus, allow¬ 
 ing the spaces between the planets and the sun to be 
 filled with an seriform substance of vast tenuity, (and, 
 indeed, that such immense spaces should consist of 
 vacuum is nearly incredible), yet it would still be pos¬ 
 sible that this seriform substance should not impede the 
 motions of the planets, because, on the above sup¬ 
 position, the projectile force would have been made so 
 much greater than would have been required for mo¬ 
 ving these planets through a vacuum only , as the resis¬ 
 tance of this seriform substance should render neces¬ 
 sary to overcome that resistance by the projectile force. 
 
 If, then we should adopt the idea that the heavenly 
 bodies do not float in a vacuum, but should accede to 
 the probability that the intervening spaces are filled up 
 with an seriform fluid, 1 humbly conceive we shall 
 have found a satisfactory way of accounting for the in¬ 
 fluence of the moon on our seas and atmosphere. If 
 the fact be certain, that the waters rise as the moon 
 approaches the earth, and recede as she retires [from it, 
 may not this phenomenon arise from the pressure ex- 
 
 f See Appendix No. II., page 28. 
 h2 
 
90 
 
 erted on the aeriform matter above mentioned by the 
 moon, on its approach to the earth, which pressure, at 
 length reaching our atmosphere, presses on it also, and 
 thereby on the waters of the ocean, causing them to 
 rise and fall proportionably, and to occasion the spring, 
 neap and daily tides ? Should we not also have, by 
 the same theory, a plain and simple way of accounting 
 for the great principle of attraction in the heavenly 
 bodies? That, by a power similar to that which 
 propels bodies forward on the earth, seas and atmos¬ 
 phere, namely, the wind, so the heavenly bodies are 
 propelled from their right line, and driven round their 
 central sun by the repulsion of this mighty current of 
 aeriform gases in the regions of space .—(See Note 6th 
 to the Second Edition , at the end of the book.) 
 
 Allowing the projectile force (by which I understand 
 Sir Isaac Newton to have meant the primary projectile 
 force directly given to the heavenly bodies by their 
 Creator) and the attractive force of the sun, to be the 
 causes of the, nearly circular motions of the planets, 
 still it appears to me clear, that this projectile force 
 must be something very different from the species of 
 impelling force which Paley, in his “Natural Theology,” 
 speaks of in page 390 of that work. “If it were pos¬ 
 sible,” he says, “to fire off a cannon-ball with the velo¬ 
 city of five miles a second, and the resistance of the air 
 could be taken away, the cannon-ball would for ever 
 wheel round the earth, instead of falling down to it.” 
 Now, if the ball were fired off in a direction due north, 
 it is evident that, in the course of the circle it would 
 form, it must return by the south pole to the place it 
 was fired from, to north ; and therefore, in every revo¬ 
 lution, it would return in an exactly opposite direction 
 to where it was fired off from ; the force, therefore, by 
 which it returns could not be the force of firing of, be¬ 
 cause it returns in a line directly opposite to that force. 
 —(See Note 4.) I therefore conceive the projectile 
 force, impressed by the First Cause on the heavenly 
 bodies, is of an entirely different nature from the pro¬ 
 jectile force of a cannon-ball. May not the projectile 
 force partake of the nature of electricity? 
 
91 
 
 Having, in the sixth edition, formed our theory for 
 supplying the waste of the sun’s fire by the means of 
 the comets, we beg leave to refer the reader to the 
 Appendix No. IT, where, under the head of “ Extra 
 Matter for the Sixth Edition,” commencing at page 
 23, he will find the said theory, shewing how we 
 conceive the waste of the fires of the suns of the 
 universe are supplied with gaseous fuel by means of 
 elaboratories established for that purpose by the Creator 
 in the regions of space, and how these combustible 
 gases are conveyed from those elaboratories to the suns 
 by the comets of the systems. In the same Appendix, 
 pages 21 and 22, the reader will find our theory, (based 
 on that of Sir Isaac Newton’s, as stated in Note 6 to 
 second edition), in which we shew how, by the agency 
 of the electric fluid acting on an elastic medium, the 
 heavenly bodies are carried round the sun. 
 
 I have here to observe, the opinion formed and 
 stated, in this our Theory of the Sun’s Formation, of an 
 aeriform fluid or medium existing in the regions of 
 space, has now been confirmed by the discovery of 
 Encke’s Comet. 
 
 It appears the Newtonians had asserted that 
 u either there was no such fluid, or that it was so thin, 
 and rarefied, that no phenomenon yet examined by 
 philosophers was capable of betraying its effects.” 
 Vide page 151, WhewelVs Bridgewater Treatise , 1838, 
 and same page it is said, “But the facts which have led 
 astronomers to the conviction that such a resisting 
 medium really exists, are certain circumstances 
 occurring in the motion of a body revolving round the 
 Sun, which is now usually called Encke’s Comet.” 
 
 It appears this body was first seen in 1786, and that 
 the effect of the resistance of the ethereal medium from 
 its first discovery, (in that year to the present time say 
 1833,) has been to diminish the time of revolution, by 
 about two days ; and the comet is ten days in advance 
 of the place which it would have reached, if there had 
 been no resistance. ( See page 154 of WhewelVs Brid¬ 
 gewater Treatise .) 
 
92 
 
 The Nebular hypothesis also appears to me to confirm 
 or support both the theory of the combustion of the 
 gases which I have ventured to produce as the origin 
 of the Earth and Planets, and also the cause and for¬ 
 mation of new heavenly bodies by the products of the 
 combustion of the gases for the replenishment of the 
 Sun’s waste of light and heat, as stated in a subse¬ 
 quent part of this work. 
 
 This Nebular hypothesis is thus introduced by Mr. 
 Whewell in his Bridgewater Treatise of 1833, 
 page 143. 
 
 “ La Place conjectures, that in the original condition 
 of the solar system, the Sun revolved upon his axis 
 surrounded by an atmosphere, which, in virtue of an 
 excessive heat, extended far beyond the orbits of all the 
 Planets, the Planets as yet having no existence. The 
 heat gradually diminished, and as the solar atmosphere 
 contracted by cooling, the rapidity of its rotation 
 increased by the laws of rotary motion, and an exterior 
 zone of vapour was detached from the rest, the central 
 attraction being no longer able to overcome the in¬ 
 creased centrifugal force. This zone of vapour might 
 in some cases retain its form as we see it in Saturn’s 
 ring, but more usually the ring of vapour would break 
 into several masses, and then would generally coalesce 
 into one mass, which would revolve about the sun. 
 Such portions of the solar atmosphere abandoned, 
 successively at different periods would form ‘planets in 
 the state of vapour.’ ” 
 
 Now it does not appear that La Place has given any 
 clue to find how or of what this solar atmosphere and 
 vapours were formed. He does, indeed, support our 
 idea, that planets may be formed by vapours and subse¬ 
 quent condensation, which is precisely the way the 
 oceanic globe of our theory is conceived to have been 
 produced; and without infringing on the humility we 
 wish to preserve, we may say we have presented to 
 his consideration, in our theory of the combustion of 
 the gases, a real and competent cause for the production 
 of the atmosphere and vapours of his ingenious hypo¬ 
 thesis But we have to observe on this theory of La 
 
93 
 
 Place’s that we have more cause now to uphold our own 
 theory of the formation of the Planets in the ocean of 
 Genesis, as his nebular theory has now beeen disproved 
 by the discoveries made by Lord Rosse’s Telescope.— 
 [See extra matter for 6th Edition at the end of the 
 work.) 
 
 Will not the combustion of the gases, of which we 
 all now know water to be formed, as stated in the 
 theory of the sun’s formation, and the extrication of 
 their heat and light, account not only for this solar 
 atmosphere, but also for the means by which the Great 
 First Cause produced the sun itself? 
 
 We now recur to Paley’s observation in page 388 of 
 his “Theology of nature,” that “by a comparative cal¬ 
 culation with the force of attraction of a rock of 
 granite, the earth was said to have twice the density 
 of that rock, or about five times that of water.’’ 
 
 Has the mode of ascertaining the force of this at- 
 raction of the earth been grounded on the supposed 
 force of the attraction of the sun on the earth and 
 planets ? Has the earth’s attraction in the above expe¬ 
 riment been come at by calculating its proportionate 
 bulk to that of the sun, and assigning it therefrom its 
 proportionate attraction ? If so, and it should be conceded 
 that the theory I have ventured to propose, of the sun’s 
 power of attraction being created or increased by means 
 of the elastic gaseous medium existing in space as stated, 
 in the Appendix—if this theory be correctly founded 
 in nature, it is evident the above experiment in the 
 attraction of the earth cannot be correct in its results. 
 
 The force of attraction of a body is composed of the 
 united attraction of its parts ; but if the sun’s density, 
 has hitherto been considered by philosophers to be ac¬ 
 cording to his powers of attraction, and it should^ be 
 agreed to, that the elastic gaseous medium has a great 
 influence in producing that attraction, the density of the 
 sun must, in this case, be much less than it has 
 hitherto been estimated at, and of course the density of 
 the earth also if it has been grounded on this supposed 
 density of the sun. 
 
94 
 
 I now conclude the theory of the sun’s formation by 
 some observations on the following extract from Paley's 
 Work, page 380. Speaking of the intervening spaces 
 between the planets, he says that “the intervals 
 between them are made devoid of any inert matter, 
 either fluid or solid, because such an intervening subs¬ 
 tance would, by its resistance, destroy those very 
 motions which attraction is employed to preserve.” 
 
 I have before endeavoured to shew that there may 
 be such eeriform substances existing in these spaces, 
 which would indeed resist these motions of the planets, 
 but that this resistance is sufficient only to diminish 
 the velocity of these motions. To explain this more 
 fully:—May not the moon have been originally projec¬ 
 ted by the Creating cause to move in its orbit or 
 course at the rate of three thousand two hundred and 
 seventy miles per hour P and, supposing the resis¬ 
 tance of the media or aeriform fluids of my theory to be 
 equal to one thousand miles per hour, this resistance 
 would only diminish the rate of the moon’s motion to 
 two thousand two hundred and seventy miles per hour, 
 which is the actual rate she is said to travel in her 
 course round the earth. 
 
 In fine, the theory of the sun’s being replenished 
 with fuel by means of aeriform fluids, is supported by 
 another observation of Paley’s. In page 350 of the 
 above work, he says — a The light and heat of the sun 
 follow the same laws, and, to us, appear nowise differ¬ 
 ent from the light of a candle, and the heat of a coal 
 fire.” Why, then, may not this heat and light of the 
 sun be supplied in the same manner as that of the 
 candle and coal of fire ? 
 
 In our planet, this heat is now known to be produced 
 by the decomposition of oxygen gas by those combus¬ 
 tible bodies, and the consequent extrication of its 
 latent light and heat; but if the light and heat of the sun 
 be generated by the same laws, and, as there is probably 
 some physical cause for the attraction of the planets 
 by the sun—and as this physical cause of the motion 
 of those planets round their central Sun, may throw 
 additional light on the great principle of his attraction— 
 
95 
 
 I therefore humbly submit the foregoing Theory of the 
 Sun’s Formation and the means of supplying the waste 
 of his combustion, to the scrutiny of a candid and 
 enlightened world: and being sensible of my incom¬ 
 petence in respect of that profound degree of scientific 
 knowledge required in the attempt I have made to 
 reconcile and explain the account of the Creation, han¬ 
 ded down to us by our religion, with the great discove¬ 
 ries in the sciences of Geology, Chemistry and Pneu¬ 
 matics, I have only to hope I may, at all events, have 
 exalted the utility of these sciences by shewing their 
 tendency and power to diminish or quiet the doubts of 
 scepticism, and to open greater sources of our admira¬ 
 tion of the goodness, power, wisdom and glory of the 
 Great First Cause. 
 
 Having now represented to the public the theory of 
 the sun’s formation, arising, as I conceive, naturally, 
 from the stupendous quantity of light and heat 
 which must have evolved from the combustion of the 
 gases required for the formation of the ocean of Genesis, 
 and haviug therein given my ideas on the manner in 
 which the waste of the sun’s light and heat may be 
 replenished, I purpose now to make a few observations 
 on the opinion stated by Dr. Herschell as to the opaque¬ 
 ness of the sun, and also of the spots which are found 
 on, or adjacent to his surface. 
 
 Sharon Turner, in his Sacred History, page 46, vol. 
 1st, says—“Of the actual substance of the sun, so little 
 satisfactory to our judgment has been discovered, that 
 all which is mentioned concerning it, can rank no higher 
 than conjectures more or less plausible. Dr. Herschell 
 thought his body to be opaque, with an upper stratum 
 of black luminous clouds. Black spots of varying 
 magnitude and form are continually appearing upon it 
 and receding and in a Note from La Place, page 20, 
 it is said—“ Dr. Herschell has inferred that what he 
 deems the sun’s luminous atmosphere, is 2,500 miles 
 from its surface.” 
 
 The preface to Sharon Turner’s Work is dated 1832. 
 The first edition of mine was published in 1836 ;—his 
 observations as to the substance of the sun could not, 
 
96 
 
 therefore, include it ; and I shall now make one final 
 observation in support of the probability of my system, 
 namely, that it is, I conceive, highly probable, the 
 Deity would convert the stupendous quantity of heat 
 and light which must have been extricated from the 
 combustion of the gasses of which the oceanic waters 
 are formed, to some great purpose. The fabric of the 
 sun thereby, was it not the most prominent and neces¬ 
 sary one he could have applied it to ! 
 
 Now, respecting Dr. Herschell’s opinion as to the 
 opaqueness of the sun, as I am well aware of the 
 exalted talents of that philosopher; and equally cons¬ 
 cious of my own want of scientific knowledge to cope 
 with them, I must leave the decision on the validity of 
 my theory of the sun to men of scientific acquirements, 
 should it meet their eye ; and in that case, I beg to 
 submit to them, should they agree to that validity 
 two questions :— 
 
 1st. The luminous atmosphere of Dr. Herschel 
 being, as he says, 2,500 miles from the sun, will it not 
 be accounted for by the vast bodies of hydrogen and 
 oxygen gases which I have supposed, by their combus¬ 
 tion, to serve as alimentary fuel for the sun ? Also— 
 the spots on the sun’s surface, or, as some say, adjacent 
 thereto, may they not be accounted for by the above said 
 cause, from the denser volume of aqueous vapour which 
 must be produced by this vast combustion of hydrogen! 
 The combustible gases would probably be ignited at 
 the distance mentioned, (2,500 miles from the sun)and 
 no doubt they would prove luminous enough. 
 
 2d. If, as it has been lately suggested, our 
 atmospheric heat is produced by the sun’s rays opera¬ 
 ting on a calorific medium, can we allow this heat to 
 be produced by any other means than by abstraction 
 from that medium ? 
 
 Heat is undoubtedly a material substance, and from 
 whencesoever it is abstracted by the sun’s rays, and 
 carried off, must not a corresponding degree of cold be 
 produced ? and must not the whole extent of the space 
 between the earth and sun become continually more 
 and more refrigerated, unless some means are found for 
 
97 
 
 replenishing this waste of heat ? and this we humbly 
 conceive, our theory of the sun will do. 
 
 I now present to the reader a short outline of Sir 
 Richard Philips’ Theory of the cause of the motions of 
 the heavenly bodies, taken from a work called 
 “Wonders of the Heavens,” Lecture 2d, page 30, printed 
 for Richard Philips, London. I make this extract as 
 presenting a singular sanction of our theory, of the 
 existence of a gaseous medium in the regions of space ; 
 but do not agree with him in rejecting the Newtonian 
 principle of gravity and attraction, and refer our 
 readers to our observations thereon in the preface to 
 the third edition. 
 
 “ About 100 years passed from the discovery of the 
 theory of gravitation, without any remarkable addition 
 to it, till the year 1818, when Sir Richard Philips, in 
 some essays on the proximate causes of the pheno¬ 
 mena of the universe, impeached the entire theory 
 founded on the simultaneous existence of universal 
 gravitation, projectile force, and an alleged vacuum in 
 space.” 
 
 This writer has shewn that Hook’s Law of Gravity, 
 which Newton so fortunately applied, is not a universal 
 law, but a law created locally by the transfer of motion 
 through any medium, such as the medium of space, 
 and that the motions of nature, necessarily propagated 
 according to that law, are, in truth, the cause of all the 
 phenomena which heretofore had been ascribed to the 
 occult and unintelligible principles of attraction and 
 gravitation. Hence, as the law called the law of gra¬ 
 vity, which Newton applied to the problems of his Prin- 
 cipia, is proved not to be universal, and not an innate 
 property, but an accident of matter, so there no longer 
 exists any occasion for the projectile force with which 
 Newton endowed the planets to prevent their falling 
 into the sun ; nor was it any longer necessary to extin¬ 
 guish the medium, which it may be supposed is co¬ 
 existent with space, for the purpose of conferring 
 perpetuity on the projectile force. 
 
 He considered all matter as the possible parent of 
 motion, and motion as power, and then proceeded to 
 
 i 
 
98 
 
 show, that all bodies on the earth are the parents of its 
 motions, and that its motions are competent to produce 
 all the phenomena which we witness on earth; that 
 weight or gravity is the mere effect of motion, or a 
 tendency to move by the transferred impetus of the 
 earth’s motions; in fine, that two-fold motions are 
 powers of aggregation in all planets; and that these 
 motions, or that of the sun, propagated through the 
 medium of space, diverge as the square of the distance, 
 and act with the same precision through an elastic 
 medium, as a lever of iron. He shewed also, that the 
 fall of bodies to the earth, ascribed to terrestrial gravi¬ 
 tation, is a necessary result of the twofold motions of 
 the earth, and that all the phenomena heretofore 
 explained, by a jjrinciple which, considered as univer¬ 
 sal, led to many false analogies, are mere results, of 
 motions, or accidents of matter, altogether local and 
 mechanical. 
 
 The philosophy of material phenomena, promulgated 
 by Sir Richard Philips, teaches that the universe con¬ 
 sists of extension of matter under various expansive 
 gaseous, fluid, and fixed forms of body, proceeding in 
 relative density from the rarest and most extended fluid 
 media, to the most condensed aggregate or fixed atoms. 
 
 “ In fine,” says Sir Richard Phillips, “ motions of 
 matter, subject to regular mechanical laws, acting abso¬ 
 lutely or subordinately, generally or locally, on aggre¬ 
 gates or atoms, and producing various densities, and 
 different degrees of locomotion, and affinity, in atoms 
 of matter, of different constituent forms, are the proxi¬ 
 mate causes of all phenomena; and as one series of 
 phenomena depends on another, so all existing pheno¬ 
 mena, are, in regard to others, physically fit, compa¬ 
 tible, and harmonious ; and as matter cannot originate 
 its own motion, so in considering motion as the proxi¬ 
 mate cause of all phenomena, we arrive, through the 
 ascending series, at the necessary and sublime First 
 Cause of all motion and all phenomena.”* Page 35. 
 
 * It being thought by some that Sir Richard Phillips’ Theory 
 was of Atheistical tendency, I have extracted the foregoing para¬ 
 graph to shew the reverse. 
 
99 
 
 The next sanction of our theory of the existence of 
 gaseous matter in the Sun’s atmosphere, we take from 
 Sir John Herschell’s Astronomy of last year, page 407, 
 chap. 12. 
 
 “ We shall conclude this chapter by the mention of 
 a phenomenon which seems to indicate the existence 
 of some slight degree of nebulosity about the Sun itself, 
 and even to place it in the list of nebulous Stars. It 
 is called the Zodiacal light; and may be seen any very 
 clear evening soon after sunset, about the month of 
 April or May, or, at the opposite season of the year, 
 before sunrise, as a cone or lenticular shaped light, 
 extending from the horizon, obliquely upwards, and 
 following generally the course of the ecliptic, or rather 
 that of the Sun’s equator. The apparent angular dis¬ 
 tance of its orbit from the sun varies according to 
 circumstances, from 40 ° to 90 ° , and the breadth of 
 its base perpendicular to its axis, from 8 ° to 30 ° . It 
 is extremely faint and ill defined, at least, in this cli¬ 
 mate, though better seen in tropical regions. 
 
 It cannot be mistaken for any atmospherical meteor 
 or Aurora Borealis. It is manifestly in the nature of a 
 thin lenticularly formed atmosphere, surrounding the 
 Sun, and extending at least beyond the orbit of Mer¬ 
 cury and even of V r enus, and may be conjectured to be 
 no other than the denser part of that medium, which, 
 as we have reason to believe, resists the motion of co¬ 
 mets, loaded perhaps with the actual materials of the 
 tails of millions of them, of which they have been strip¬ 
 ped in their successive perihelion passages, and which 
 may be slowly subsiding into the Sun.” 
 
 It appears, hereby that Sir John completely sanc¬ 
 tions the existence of gaseous matter in the Sun’s 
 atmosphere. And for what other purpose could it be 
 there, but for the supply of the waste of its light and 
 heat by the combustion of this gaseous matter? And 
 Sir John may well says, as he does in the above most 
 admirable treatise on Astronomy, “that there is an 
 enormous degree of heat in the Sun.” 
 
 The last extract we shall here make, as sanctioning 
 our theory of supply of waste of the Sun’s heat and 
 
100 
 
 light, is from a work published in 1841, called “Gra¬ 
 ham’s Elements of Chemistry.” 
 
 “ It has always been observed that there is a black 
 line or lines among the fays received from the Sun 
 through the prism on a spectrum. These black lines 
 Philosophers had never been able to account for. But 
 the atmosphere of the Sun has now received an enti¬ 
 rely chemical character from late experiments of the 
 celebrated Sir David Brewster, who found that on pas¬ 
 sing a ray of light from a common lamp through a 
 medium of nitrous oxyd gas, it immediately formed a 
 thousand black lines on the spectrum. He, Sir David, 
 thence infers, (in accounting for the black lines when 
 rays are received from the Sun) that gaseous matter 
 must exist in the sun’s atmosphere, by which medium 
 the black lines are produced on the spectrum.” Doctor 
 Graham adds, “that we may thus be able hereafter to 
 explain how the light of the Suns of other systems is 
 formed and maintained.’ 5 
 
 He thus evidently considers that the mode of supply¬ 
 ing the waste of our own Sun’s light and heat is explain¬ 
 ed by means of this gaseous atmosphere, and thereby 
 supports our theory of the combustion of that matter 
 for producing that supply.* 
 
 On a review of these concurrent testimonies, we, 
 with humility, conceive therefore that our theory of the 
 original formation of our Sun, by the light and heat 
 evolved by the combustion of the gases for the forma¬ 
 tion of the universal ocean of Genesis; and of the 
 mode of supplying the waste of the Sun’s light and 
 heat may be considered as nearly established. 
 
 Having thus concluded my attempt on the system 
 of the creation of our earth and planets, and of the 
 formation of their central Sun, with the means which 
 I conceive may have been adopted by the Creator to 
 supply the vast waste of his combustion, we now pro¬ 
 ceed to the last part of our prospectus, namely, the 
 dissolution of our globe, with the possible changes 
 
 * The above extract is taken from memory, but the substance 
 will be found in Graham’s Elements of Chemistry. 
 
which the present state of our knowledge would lead 
 us to presume wmild be the result of it. 
 
 DISSOLUTION OF OUR GLOBE. 
 
 By the authority of Scripture, we are informed, that 
 the globe we inhabit is doomed to dissolution by the 
 element of fire. We cannot, indeed, presume to say, 
 that the nature of this conflagration shall be the same, 
 and be governed by the same laws as those which take 
 place at present, but judging from the hitherto im¬ 
 mutable nature of those laws, we shall proceed to 
 consider the principal changes which, according to 
 them, would take place at this general conflagration. 
 There are, indeed, many parts in the external and 
 internal phenomena of the earth, which subject it 
 continually to change and decomposition. The probable 
 effects also, of its continual motion in the heavens, and 
 the possible contact of other heavenly bodies, perhaps 
 igneous, appear to confirm the destiny recorded in the 
 Scriptures. 
 
 The late discoveries however, in pneumatic 
 chemistry, have proved to us, that what had hitherto 
 been considered as destruction by fire, is only a change, 
 or decomposition of the various combustible bodies, into 
 the elements of which they are composed. A great 
 proportion of the vegetable world is found to be reduced 
 by combustion, into elastic vapour called gasses ; and it 
 is not improbable, (at least if we assent to the facts 
 stated by, and the opinion of, professor Cliaptal, which 
 I have before mentioned, on the productions of the 
 vegetative process ; and also, the still higher authority, 
 of professor Linnaeus, quotod above, whereby many of 
 the primary earths and metals are proved to be the 
 porducts of vegetation,) that the various earths and 
 metals, and their combinations, may hereafter be found 
 to consist of compounds of the bases of the gases of 
 oxygen, h ydrogen and azote, and of carbon. 
 
 In the foregoing system of creation, I have stated 
 that lead is found to gain an accession of weight by 
 oxydation of nearly ten pounds in one hundred pounds, 
 by the absorption of oxygen from the atmosphere. This 
 
 i2 
 
102 
 
 oxygen must therefore exist in the oxyd, in a solid state. 
 Pit-coal and pot-ash are found also to contain oxygen 
 and hydrogen in the same state, and the Scliisti or slate 
 mountains are also said to have been composed by the 
 decomposition of vegetables, which are primarily com¬ 
 posed of these gases ; and these schisti, therefore, in 
 part, consist of solid oxygen, &c. In fine, from these 
 facts, and many others stated in the foregoing pages, 
 we have, in the theory of creation, come to the con¬ 
 clusion that the processes of vegetation and of anima- 
 lisation were the machinery chosen by the First Cause 
 for the gradual production of all the geological bodies 
 of which our earth is composed. 
 
 Now, the marine vegetables of the waters or ocean 
 of Genesis, can have imbibed their nourishment only 
 from these waters and the air imbibed by them, and 
 must have had the power conferred on their natures to 
 decompose these waters, and to re-compose by the pro¬ 
 cess of vegetation (as we find to be the case in ter¬ 
 restrial vegetables) a vast variety of new productions, 
 all of which, however dense, must have possessed the 
 constituent elements of water and air, oxygen, 
 hydrogen, and azote, for their final elements. 
 
 The depositions then of the marine vegetable, 
 world, having formed a certain and a very great 
 proportion of the geological bodies of the earth, the 
 remainder of them we have conceived to have been 
 formed by the depositions and labours of the marine 
 animals. The habitations or shells of these, we have 
 shewn in various parts of the foregoing theory, to com¬ 
 pose a considerable portion of the earth’s crust; and 
 the vast generations of these animals, after their decay 
 and decomposition, have, no doubt, according to their 
 affinities and gravities by their deposition, formed or 
 entered into the structure of the remaining geological 
 products. 
 
 In the course of our theory, we have endeavoured to 
 show, that the vast chalk and lime-stone formations of 
 the earth, may also have been the result of the decom¬ 
 position or disintegration of these marine shells. On this 
 subject, we have to add one observation; bearing 
 
iOS 
 
 considerably on our present subject, namely, the final 
 elements of the geological bodies. It is, that chalk 
 and lime-stone, being carbonates of lime, must also, 
 therefore, consist of a great proportion of oxygen in a 
 solid state, their carbonic acid being compounded of 
 oxygen and carbon. Lime itself, also has afforded Sir 
 H. Davy a metallic button ; it is therefore an oxyd, 
 and contains oxygen in the same solid state. 
 
 The marine animals, again, of the waters of Genesis 
 whether they derived their nutrition directly from those 
 waters, or from the plants contained in them, or from 
 both, must finally have been composed of the constituent 
 elements of water, the only mode of nutrition of these 
 plants. But it is possible, and even probable, that the 
 marine animals had the power of decomposing the 
 imbibed air of the atmosphere, by which they would 
 obtain another elementary principle. Azote.* This is 
 an teriform substance, which is always found to be pro¬ 
 duced by the remains of terrestrial, and, no doubt, 
 marine animals also. 
 
 Thus we are led to conclude the final elements of all 
 geological bodies, and of the marine plants and animals 
 of the ocean, and of the vegetable and animal produc¬ 
 tions of the earth to have been oborigine, Oxygen, 
 Hydrogen, Azote, Heat, and perhaps, Light and Elec¬ 
 tricity ; and that the immense variety of proportions of 
 these, blended together by the vital principle, consti¬ 
 tutes the distinctive characters of those bodies 
 
 Now, in the event of the dissolution of the Globe by 
 fire, the consequence would be, (as combustion is 
 known to be nothing but the extrication of light and 
 caloric, by the decomposition of the oxygen gas of the 
 atmosphere, and the consequent absorption of its oxygen 
 by the combustible body,) that the elements of all com¬ 
 bustible bodies would enter into new combinations. 
 The waters of the oceans, if not directly decomposed by 
 this vast combustion, but, merely evaporated, would 
 probably collect together, be finally condensed into 
 water, be attracted together into vast bodies, and form 
 
 * Atmospheric air is always decomposed in the lungs of terres¬ 
 trial animals. 
 
104 
 
 a part of an oceanic globe, which must obey the laws of 
 gravitation and motion, and might thus form a part of 
 the matrix of a future planet. 
 
 On the contrary, should the watery vapours of our 
 earth and ocean, be drawn into the conflagration at 
 this dissolution, and be decomposed by the intensity 
 of its heat and the contact of the combustible bodies,— 
 which is indeed probable,—these vapours would thereby 
 be resolved into their primary elements, oxygen and 
 hydrogen, in the state of gases 5 and the vegetable and 
 animal creation would, also, be decomposed into these 
 gases and the azotic and carbonic gasses. 
 
 f 
 
 The earthy, mineral, and metallic substances of the 
 globe, many of which we have shewn in the foregoing 
 pages of our theory, to contain an abundant quantity 
 of these gases in a solid state, would be partly decom¬ 
 posed into these primary elements, and the remaining 
 more indestructible parts, if not decomposed by the 
 heat of the conflagration, would be resolved by it into 
 vapours; for we have found, as before stated, that 
 even by the comparatively small degrees of heat which 
 the art of man has discovered, the diamond, and some 
 of the perfect metals, have been resolved into such 
 vapours; and, allowing even that these metallic, earthy, 
 or mineral vapours, should not be decomposed into 
 their final elements, even by the heat of the conflagra¬ 
 tion they must, after the combustion, be collected into 
 vast bodies, mix with the other gases resulting from 
 the decompositions above stated, and probably, by the 
 agency of chemical affinity, find their decomposition 
 effected by these gases; or, otherwise, their decompo¬ 
 sition into the primary elements of oxygen, hydrogen, 
 and azote, may be finally effected by the electric fluid. 
 
 Thus, although it may be the design of Providence 
 to put a final period to the present state of existence 
 of our globe; yet, as the primary elements of which we 
 have conceived it to be composed, are iudestructible— 
 at least in the present state of our knowledge, these 
 elements must unite to form the materials of a new 
 mode of existence, unless, indeed, counteracted by the 
 
105 
 
 diyine ordinances, by which these very elements them¬ 
 selves should be annihilated ' 
 
 Now, that this globe is destined to dissolution, as I 
 have already mentioned, is probable, from many facts 
 in its internal and external phenomena. 
 
 But its pit coal, sulphurous and nitrous combinations, 
 the inflammable and other gases it produces, and the 
 tendency of these to produce earthquakes and volca¬ 
 noes, may not operate sufficiently deep in the earth to 
 produce its total disolution. This is, indeed, more 
 likely to arise, from its various motions in the heavens, 
 and the possible contact of igneous bodies, as comets, 
 &c. We do not mean to imply by this that the earth, 
 is in danger from comets in its annual course round its 
 orbit, the chances of such dangers being very small. 
 All we imply is, that the dissolution foretold in scrip¬ 
 ture will be more probably brought about by means of 
 some inflamed gas in space than by any internal cause 
 in the earth, and it may form a part of the design of the 
 Creator, that the lieavently bodies should thus be subject 
 to continued changes ; yet, does it not appear consistent 
 with the unceasing evidences we have of His benevo¬ 
 lence, to suppose, these changes are not to destroy the final 
 elements of His creation; but to produce higher and 
 better states of existence by their instrumentality ? 
 
 Assuming, therefore, that the conflagration we are 
 considering, shall have finally decomposed and resolved 
 by combustion, and the power of mutual affinity, or by 
 the electric fluid, all parts of the earths and ocean:, into 
 the primary elements, oxygen, hydrogen and azote, or 
 other elements, we have now to consider how these 
 elements would re-combine to form other lieavently 
 bodies. These primary elements, having been drawn 
 together by the laws of affinity or attraction, would 
 . probably be soon ignited and brought into combustion 
 by the electric fl uid, or the light and heat of the gene¬ 
 ral conflagration. The hydrogen gas would then unite * 
 with the oxygen of the oxygen gas, whose light and 
 heat, or caloric, would be set free, and the formation 
 of watery vapours would ensue. These condensing in 
 the course of time (for it is probable the light and heat 
 
106 
 
 of the conflagration would, by laws of its gravity, find 
 its way to the higher regions of infinite space) would 
 form an oceanic globe, which also, in obedienee to the 
 same laws of gravity and attraction, would be attracted 
 or driven, according to our theory, round its central 
 Sun ; and being endowed by the powerful and bene¬ 
 volent ordination of the First Cause, with the most 
 abundant, prolific and plastic powers for the generation 
 of plants and animals, these would, exactly in the same 
 way in which, (as we have stated in our theory of 
 creation) the waters of Cenesis produced our earth, be 
 continually tending, in the course of sufficient ages, by 
 their vast, accumulation, their death, decomposition and 
 depositions, according to their affinities and gravities, 
 to form the solid parts of their globe, which, by the 
 laws of gravity, would be attracted more or less near 
 the centre, and these decompositions would thus accu¬ 
 mulate. until the land should finally appear on the 
 surface of these waters.* 
 
 We must then suppose the same benevolence and 
 power of the Creator would be exerted to bring plants 
 and animals on this part of its creation, endowing them 
 with life and enjoyments of such degrees of eminence 
 in the scale of beipg, as His Providence might be 
 pleased to direct. 
 
 Thus, we have cause to believe from our evidences 
 of the benevolence of the Deity that the globe we inha¬ 
 bit, if destined to combustion, may be thereby changed 
 into another and more perfect state of existence, and its 
 inhabitants be gifted with greater blessings; and we 
 shall now venture to draw a conclusion from the fore¬ 
 going observations on the dissolution and reproduction 
 of the globe, namely, that although we are told in 
 Scripture that this dissolution will take place, and the 
 inhabitants then on the earth will perish, yet as we 
 
 * It is possible, however, that the primary elements of our globe 
 resulting from its conflagration, may be first attracted by the tails 
 of comets and carried off into space, to be there collected with 
 other masses of vapour for subsequent condensation into an ocean 
 forming the matrix of a system of planetary bodies.—See Appendix 
 No. II., page 28. 
 
107 
 
 have stated, that “ it will be more consistent with the 
 unceasing evidences we have of the benevolence of the 
 Creator, to suppose these changes are not to destroy the 
 final elements of His creation and, as we have accor¬ 
 dingly supposed these elements will only assume a new 
 state of being, we therefore now draw our conclusion, 
 that, as the final elements of the corporeal substance of 
 man could only then, in common with those of other 
 elements, assume a new state of combination, so we 
 conceive that the benevolent creator (having in the 
 present life given to him these high powers of intellect, 
 and those hopes of a better state of existence) has also 
 arranged some plan by which the elements of these 
 bodies, and by a parity of reasoning, the elements of 
 those who shall have died previous to the conflagration ; 
 shall be re-united to the souls of which they formed 
 the matrices on earth, and that with them they 
 shall be endowed with a better and more perfect state 
 of exitence, as foretold and promised in the Scriptures. 
 
 The elements of those human bodies must otheiwise 
 be left to the disposal o.f a chance combination, and 
 might thereby enter into the reproduction of inanimate 
 substance. We cannot conceive this to be part of the 
 design of the source of truth and benevolence ; and we 
 therefore believe, that this very indestritctibility of the 
 law of nature, and her eternal tendency to form (as we 
 have attempted to shew- above) new combinations of 
 matter, offer a proof also of the distinct destined exis¬ 
 tence, and of the immortality of the soul of man.—(See 
 Note 3.) 
 
 Having now’ finished these considerations on the 
 creation, dissolution and reproduction of our globe in a 
 new state, I shall only mention that, reasoning from 
 analogy, we may conceive the other systems of the 
 heavenly bodies to have been formed by the same laws 
 of nature, instituted by the Omnipotent for that purpose. 
 But we are told by a great poet, “ Presume not God to 
 scan,” and as I agree with that idea, inasmuch as that 
 we ought not to venture so to do, beyond the data and 
 facts which he has placed in our view, so I have limi¬ 
 ted these observations to our system, humbly concei- 
 
108 
 
 ving I have in some measure shewn, that the geology 
 of our globe, and our latest discoveries in phneumatics, 
 will warrant the conclusion I have drawn from the 
 foregoing facts and experiments. 
 
 In the theory of the sun, I observed that the water 
 formed by the combustion of the hydrogen gas, in 
 supplying him with fuel, might, perhaps, be condensed 
 into globes of water, destined hereafter to form hew 
 worlds or planets, like those of our own system, by the 
 means we have detailed in the theory of creation. 
 
 I have now only to add, that we may well conceive 
 this possible, from the incessant proofs of power, wis¬ 
 dom, and benevolence, we are permitted to'discover in 
 the operations of the Creator ; that, in fact, the recent 
 discoveries of our astronomers, of planets never observed 
 before by the vigilance of those of former ages,* may be 
 a proof that new formations of heavenly bodies are 
 always taking place, and that as we cannot presume to 
 limit the attributes and power of a First Cause, so the 
 reproductive and plastic powers with wdiich He has 
 endowed the laws of nature may be found in continual 
 operation, for the production of other systems of 
 heavenly bodies, and that the Almighty attributes and 
 energies may be thus continually giving life and 
 enjoyment, in a scale probably infinite, and advancing, 
 perhaps incessantly, in displays of His goodness, power, 
 wisdom, and glory. 
 
 * It is stated by astronomers, that the tails of comets are stretched 
 towards the sun, when they aie approaching him ; but when they 
 return, they are stretchd in the opposite direction. May not this 
 singular fact be caused by the comet depositing its gaseous tail into 
 the sun’s atmosphere as a supply of fuel, and taking up by its 
 attraction, the denser aqueous vapours formed by the combustion 
 of the gases, thus carrying them oft' into the regions of space to be 
 condensed into planetary bodies ? For, it is observed, the tails in 
 the returning course of the comet are much longer than when it 
 goes towards the sun. May not these facts indicate a change in 
 the nature of the tails ? See Sir John Herschell’s observation on 
 the tails of comets, at page 122 of this work. 
 
109 
 
 TABLE OF GEOLOGICAL FORMATIONS. 
 
 In the order of their Superposition. By M. Al JDe Humboldt. 
 This table is stated by Baron Cuvier to have been formed by 
 his friend Humboldt, for his (the Baron’s) late Geological 
 works; and he adds, that the Table may be considered as 
 containing a summary of the tables of the most modern Geologists. 
 
 Alluvial deposits. 
 
 Lime-stone formation, with mill-stone (meulieres.) 
 
 Sand-stone and sand of Fontainbleau. 
 
 Gypsum with bones. Siliceous lime-stone. 
 
 Coarse lime-stone. 
 (Clay of London ) 
 
 c n 
 
 G 
 
 O 
 
 •i—I 
 
 ci 
 
 a 
 
 Sh 
 
 ,o 
 
 ■M 
 
 c3 
 
 
 Plastic clay. Molasse. Naglefluhe. 
 
 
 Chalk. 
 600 - 
 Feet. 
 
 White. 
 
 Soft, (tuffeau) Ananchites. 
 
 Chloritic. 
 
 
 400 
 
 Feet 
 
 | Green sand. 
 
 
 Wead Clay. Secondary lime stone with lignites. 
 Ferruginous sand. 
 
 Ammonites. Lime-stone of Jura. 
 Planulites. 
 
 Slaty beds, with fish and 
 Crustacea. 
 
 Coral rag. 
 
 Dive clay. 
 
 OolitesandCaenlime-stone 
 Marly or calcareous lias with 
 
 GRYPHOeA ARCUATA. 
 
 Quadersandstein, or whiie sand¬ 
 stone sometimes above the lias. 
 
 Muschelkaik'. 
 Ammonites nodosus 
 
 Marls with fibrous gypsum Saliferous variegated sand-stone, 
 
 arenacious layers. 
 
 Product, aculeat. (Alpine lime-stone.) 
 
 Magnesian lime-stone. Zechstein. 
 
 Coppery slate. 
 
 ui 
 
 g 
 
 o 
 
 • »—i 
 
 a 
 
 t -. 
 £ 
 
 c3 
 
 "G 
 
 G 
 
 o 
 
 o 
 
 o> 
 
 CC 
 
 Quartziferous 
 porphyry. 
 
 Co ordinate formations of porphyry, 
 red sand-stone and coal. 
 
 Transition Formations. 
 
 Slates with lydian stone, greywacke, diorites, euphotides, 
 lime-stone, with orthoceratites, trilobites, 
 
 AND EVOMPHALITES.* 
 
 Primitive Formations. 
 
 Clayey slates, (Thonschiefer.) 
 Mica slates. 
 
 Gneiss. 
 
 Granites. 
 
 • rH 
 
 CD 
 
 a 
 
 & 
 
 w 
 
 G 
 
 O 
 
 • rH 
 -4-3 
 
 a 
 
 91 
 
 a 
 
 o 
 
 a * 
 a a 
 
 & 
 
 * As far as this line, comprises 24,350 feet 
 
 k 
 
APPENDIX. 
 
 Thefollowing Notes and Illustrations are recommended 
 to the reader's attention , as illustrative of the 
 Theory of Creation, and 'particularly as contai¬ 
 ning observations on the late discoveries in Geology . 
 
 Note 1.— It seems, indeed, almost impossible (sup¬ 
 posing for a moment the idea of Buffbn as to the origin 
 of our earth was correct) to conjecture by what means 
 its waters could have been subsequently obtained. A 
 body of molten glass would, necessarily, assume a 
 spherical form in the heavens ; but it seems not pro¬ 
 bable, or possible, that such vast cavities, as the beds 
 of the seas or oceans of the earth, could have been form¬ 
 ed on it by its motions merely. 
 
 ' Again vitreous substances do not contain the ele¬ 
 ments that produce earthquakes and volcaneos. Hy¬ 
 drogen or enflammable. gas is probably required for 
 that effect, which is not contained in glass: therefore, 
 the vast cavities of the ocean co-uld not arise from in¬ 
 ternal commotions ; but, even allowing them to have 
 been produced by some unknown cause, how is the 
 origin of the waters to be come at ? Water is, I belive, 
 sometimes generated in our atmosphere by the com¬ 
 bustion of hydrogen ; but this is a mere drop in the 
 ocean, compared to the general cause that produces our 
 rains. In fact, it could not, consistently with the safety 
 of the productions of the earth, or even of their embryos 
 at the time of their formation, have been made a general 
 law for the purpose of producing the 'waters of the 
 oceans. On the other hand, the system of the forma¬ 
 tion of the earth, from waters generated by combustion, 
 appears to be a more natural and satisfactory solution 
 of the phenomena of creation. These waters, formed 
 and endowed, as we must conceive, according to the 
 design of the Creator, with the most prolific powers of 
 generating plants and animals, produced gradually 
 sufficient deposits to form the earth. 
 
 I have stated, in the body of the work, that a single 
 herring, unmolested for twenty years, would, as it has 
 
Ill 
 
 been computed, produce ten of our globes ; and, allowing 
 it to produce only one globe, what must the depositions 
 of all the vegetables and animals of the waters of 
 Genesis amount 10 ? In fact, on a consideration of the 
 probable powers of deposition of these waters, and of 
 the small proportion the known parts of the land bears 
 to our oceans, we might be inclined to conjecture that 
 there may be vast tracts of land on the globe yet undis¬ 
 covered, and it is remarkable that this idea is now 
 verified by the discovery of an antarctic continent.* 
 
 Note 2. —It may be observed further, respecting 
 this resistance of the teriform media ofour theory, that, 
 as our system itself and I believe also the fixed stars, 
 are allowed by astronomers to have some progressive 
 motion, and which must be owing to the principle of 
 attraction towards some centre; therefore, the resisting 
 uniform media must move the same way also in their 
 courses towards the sun, having thus two motions; 
 they must be thus attracted towards the same centre 
 as our system is said to be ; the resistance they give to 
 the earth and planets in their rectilinear motion, 
 though it may thereby diminish the velocity of that 
 motion, yet it cannot “ destroy it,” these aeriform media 
 being themselves under the influence of the same 
 attraction towards an unknown centre .—(See Note 4 
 in confirmation of this,) 
 
 This idea of a general motion of our system, and of 
 the fixed stars, will be found in the work I have so 
 often quoted, “ Paley’s Natural Theology.” He states 
 if I rightly remember, “ that the fixed stars have cer¬ 
 tainly small motions,” and considers them to be at- 
 
 * Oar readers are aware, that Capt. Boss, of the British Navy, 
 lately made a voyage of discovery to the South Sea. From ex¬ 
 tracts from his journals, published in some english papers, it seems 
 that he has reached lat. 78 ° south; and that he lias discovered 
 what the has called South Victoria Land, extending from latitude 
 704 ° to 79, and how much further is-unknown, its eastern coast 
 lies between the 163d and 171st degrees of long. It was girt with 
 a barrier of ice many miles in breadth, which rendered it inacces¬ 
 sible, the ice being in some parts 150 feet high. He represents the 
 land as rising in peaks from 9,000 to 12,000 feet high, perfectly 
 covered with snow. He saw various volcanoes.—Translated. 
 March )9, 1812. 
 
112 
 
 traded to a centre ; and if this be really founded in 
 fact, it certainly offers one of the grandest ideas of the 
 Deity the mind of man can conceive, namely, that if 
 all the systems of the heavenly bodies thus move round 
 one common unknown centre, may we not conceive 
 that centre to be the Empyreal Throne of God men¬ 
 tioned in the 4th chapter of Revelations, from whence 
 He beholds continually the immense operations of his 
 hands, performing their revolutions round Him? 
 
 The above idea, of universal attraction, also offers 
 another very important one, of the cause of the projectile 
 force or rectilinear motion of the planets of our system, 
 namely, that this universal attraction to a common 
 centre IS that cause. 
 
 Since writing this Note I have seen the substance of 
 the second paragraph confirmed by the eloquent dis¬ 
 courses of Dr. Chalmers, lately published, on the 
 Christian Revelation, in connection with the Modern 
 Astronomy. 
 
 Note 3.— The reasoning in this work, in pages 131 
 and 132, is grounded on the idea that the entire 
 substance of man, including the soul, is not destined to 
 perish with the material substances of the globe. On 
 that idea I have supposed that the corporeal parts of 
 his frame may be, by some arrangement of the Deity, 
 reunited with the soul or intelligent part ; but should 
 the future state of existence be one altogether spiritual , 
 the constituent elements of the body may then, perhaps, 
 enter into indiscriminate combinations with other 
 matter. All I wish to infer from the reasoning offered 
 is, that the intelligent spirit or soul of man is 
 indestructible. 
 
 Note 4. —It is said, indeed, by philosophers, that a 
 body once put in motion, if all the resistance to it were 
 taken away, would continue to move in its course for 
 ever ; that is a case, how T ever, which never can be 
 proved by actual experiment, and it must rest solely on 
 the opinion or arguments of those philosophers. If, 
 however, the above supposition of perpetual motion of 
 bo lies moving in a vacuum be founded in nature, and 
 that the heavenly bodies are made to move in a 
 
113 
 
 Vacuum, to obtain the object of perpetual motion, we 
 may, in addition to what we have observed in Note 2, 
 on the subject of universal attraction to an unknown 
 centre, remark, that this universal attraction (supposing 
 our theory of the regions of space being filled with 
 yeriform media to be correct) may be the cause which 
 prevents the diminution of the projectile force in the 
 courses of those heavenly bodies through those aeriform 
 media. 
 
 Note 5.—Having just now obtained a sight of the 
 late publication of Lord Brougham of last year, 1835,1 
 here subjoin an extract from it, describing the late 
 discoveries of fossil remains by Cuvier, Buckland, and 
 other geologists, to which I add some observations 
 bearing on the relation of these facts to our theory of 
 creation. In page 33 of his work, Lord Brougham 
 observes, “the discoveries already made in this branch 
 of science (geology) are truly wonderful, and they 
 proceed on the strictest rules of induction. It is shewn 
 that animals formerly existed on the globe, being 
 unknown varieties of species still known ; but it also 
 appears that species existed, and even genera wholly 
 unknown, for the last five thousand years. These 
 peopled the earth as it was, not only before the general 
 deluge, but before some convulsion, long prior to that 
 event, had overwhelmed the countries then dry, and 
 raised others from the bottom of the sea. In these 
 curious enquiries, we are conversant, not merely with 
 the world before the Flood, but with a world which, 
 before the Flood, was covered with water ; and which, 
 in far earlier ages, had been the habitation of birds, and 
 beasts, and reptiles. We are carried,as it were, several 
 worlds back, and we reach a period when all was 
 water, and slime, and mud, and the waste, without 
 either man or plants , gave resting place to enormous 
 beasts like lions, and elephants, and river-horses ; while 
 the water was tenanted by lizards, the size of a whale, 
 sixty or seventy feet long ; and by others, with huge 
 eyes, having shields of solid bone to protect them, and 
 glaring from a neck ten feet in length ; and the air 
 was darkened by flying reptiles, covered with scales, 
 
 k2 
 
114 
 
 opening like the jaws of the crocodile, and expanding 
 wings, armed at the tips with the claws of the leopard. 
 No less strange, and yet not less proceeding from in¬ 
 duction, are the discoveries made respecting the former 
 state of the earth ; the manner in which these animals, 
 whether of known or unknown tribes, occupied it; and 
 the period when, or at least the way in which, they 
 ceased to exist. Professor Buckland has demonstrated 
 the identity with the hyenas, of the animal’s habits 
 that cracked the bones which fill some of the caves, in 
 order to come at the marrow ; and he has also satisfac¬ 
 torily shewn, that it inhabited the neighbourhood, and 
 must have been suddenly exterminated by drowning. 
 His researches have been conducted by experiments 
 with living animals, as well as by observations on the 
 fossil remains.” 
 
 I have now to observe, that it is to be regretted the 
 geographical position of these discoveries is not men¬ 
 tioned by his Lordship. If they had been found in 
 the vicinity of the countries inhabited before the 
 Flood, by Noah or his ancessors, it is singular that no 
 oral or written tradition is given (at least that I am 
 aware of) by Noah or his descendants, ofthis convulsion 
 before the Flood. “ We reach a period,’’ says his 
 Lordship, u when all was water, and slime, and mud, 
 and the waste, without either man or plants, gave 
 resting place to enormous beasts,” &c< If this period 
 of time, therefore, is to be supposed as having been 
 between the Creation and the Flood, it must probably 
 have taken place in a part of the world very remote 
 
 from the countrv inhabited by Adam or his descen- 
 «/ _ * 
 
 dants, before the Flood ; and if there were, as is stated, 
 “ no plants” growing in these resting places for these 
 “ enormous beasts like lions, and elephants, and river- 
 horses,” whence did they get their subsistence I If 
 no subsistence were prepared for them in these resting 
 places in the land, is it not probable these “ enormous 
 beasts” may have been marine or amphibious? I must 
 therefore say, that the circumstance of there being no 
 tradition handed down to us by Noah or his descen¬ 
 dants, of so'great an event at this convulsion, coupled 
 
i 15 
 
 with the fact, admitted by the geologists who have 
 narrated these discoveries, that “ no plants” are found 
 to have existed in these “ resting places” for the nutri¬ 
 ment of these enormous beasts, (for allowing them to 
 be animals of prey, the animals they devoured must 
 have had means of sustenance from the productions of 
 the earth ;) therefore, these two circumstances would 
 seem to warrant the opinion, that these skeletons, or 
 organic remains, are those of marine animals, which 
 had been deposited at their death more or less below 
 the present surface of the earth from the waters of 
 Genesis, (according to our theory of Creation,) before 
 the time of the separation of the waters, as recorded in 
 the first chapter and ninth verse of Genesis, when God 
 said, “ let the waters under the heavens be gathered 
 together into one place, and let the dry land appear ; 
 and it was so.” 
 
 As to the flying serpents, by the account itself, they 
 appear to have been marine inhabitants of the waters; 
 and for the same reason that applies to the “ enormous 
 beasts,” thatno plants” have been found in those 
 resting places, so the “ birds,” mentioned in the above 
 account, must probably have been marine or aquatic 
 also, and have existed as above stated, before the sepa¬ 
 ration of the waters at the six days of the creation. 
 
 Now the effects of the Deluge, in the time of Noah, 
 are, J believe, generally allowed to have made great 
 changes on the face of the earth. The effects even of 
 common inundations which have taken place and been 
 recorded in history, have also had the same visible 
 effects. Is it not, therefore, probable that the effects of 
 the mighty rush of waters from, over, and all round the 
 earth at the time of the separation, must have had a 
 a corresponding greater effect, and produced the con¬ 
 vulsion described by the geologists as having taken 
 place 5 or 6000 years ago ; and is not this effect the 
 more likely, from the circumstance that the laud must, 
 at that period, have been in a soft and humid state, 
 probably for a considerable depth below its surface] 
 
 As respects the circumstance of no organic remains 
 of the human species being discovered among the 
 
116 
 
 i 
 
 other fossil remains, that will be completely accounted 
 for by supposing, as above stated, that the convul¬ 
 sion took place at the time of the separation of the 
 waters of Genesis,” since man was not then created. 
 
 To conclude, whether this great convulsion of nature 
 were really one that took place since the Creation, and 
 produced the overflow 7, of an extent of country formerly 
 inhabited by the animals above described, and which 
 has, since then, become dry land again ; whether, I say, 
 such a convulsion has taken place since the Creation or 
 before it, does not affect the validity of the theory of 
 Creation which is now offered to the world, for this 
 theory embraces the primeval formation of the entire 
 circumference and diameter of the earth, and is, there¬ 
 fore, antecedent to any partial convulsion that may 
 have, since that formation, taken place. 
 
 I now conclude this Note with a few observations in 
 support of the formation of the geological bodies in the 
 primeval oceans, drawn from the depositions of matter, 
 and consequent formation, of land, which must be con¬ 
 tinually taking place in our present seas. 
 
 In the space of two or three miles, in the harbour of 
 Halifax, N. S., I have seen thousands of cart-loads of 
 kelp, or seaweed, collected from the shore in a season, 
 and it is probably thrown up in the same quantities all 
 along the coast of America. 
 
 In Scotland, great quantities are burned, to extract 
 its saline matter; as also in Spain and Portugal. 
 What must be the quantity, therefore, that annually 
 decays and is deposited at the bottom of the oceans ! 
 In addition to this are the immense formations of cojal 
 beds. In the Pacific Ocean the Coral Islands are 1500 
 miles long by 60 or 70 board, formed by various species 
 of insects called coral insects or madrepores. 
 
 To these coral formations may be added the still 
 more immense depositions of shells and different ani¬ 
 mals of the seas. These depositions are probably con¬ 
 glomerated by the sand and earthy particles brought 
 down by the rivers, and abraded from coasts by the 
 tides and storms. These masses must be continually 
 augmenting, and in due course of time will greatly 
 
117 
 
 enlarge the proportion of land. The waters of our 
 oceans and seas (for a vast quantity is constantly con¬ 
 sumed in the nourishment of the marine plants) must, 
 on the other hand, be continually diminishing; and 
 although, if I recollect aright. Dr. Paley states, in his 
 “ Evidences of Natural Religion,” that all the evapo¬ 
 rations return by the rains, I think it is easy to prove 
 that not to be the case ; for an immense proportion of 
 the rains is consumed in the nourishment of terrestrial 
 vegetables and by animal life; a large proportion 
 of vapour is also dissolved by the air and probably de¬ 
 composed by the electric fluid into its gases. Must not 
 this continual increase of land and diminution of the 
 ■waters of the earth, in the course of sufficient ages, 
 greatly alter its specific gravity? What effect this 
 may have on the earth’s relative attraction with the 
 other heavenly bodies, T leave to astronomers to deter¬ 
 mine. But it is, I conceive, possible, that a change in 
 the degree of its attraction may be the means by which 
 the dissolution foretold in the scriptures may be ulti¬ 
 mately brought to pass ; and it may be also possible 
 that the design of a benevolent Creator, in making the 
 proportion of water so much greater than the land, has 
 been, to retard this dissolution for numerous ages. 
 
 CONCLUDING NOTE. 
 
 In the contemplation of the wonderful discoveries in 
 pneumatic chemistry, of the gaseous bodies, and pecu¬ 
 liarly so of the component principles of water, I have 
 conceived the formation of the waters of Genesis to 
 have been produced from these elementary principles, 
 by the Creating Cause at “ the beginning j” but have, 
 in the foregoing treatise, abstained, for reasons stated 
 in page 132, from carrying my speculations onwards to 
 the other systems of the heavenly bodies, further than 
 reasoning from analogy, that they may have been 
 formed by the same laws. In this Note, however, in 
 conclusion of this work, I propose to offer some obser¬ 
 vations on this subject, as a comment on the 6th and 
 
118 
 
 7th verses of the first of Genesis : “ And God said, Let 
 there be a firmament in the midst of the waters , and 
 let it divide the waters from the waters ; and God made 
 the firmament, and divided the waters which were 
 under the firmament from the waters which ivere above 
 the firmament; and it was so.” 
 
 Sharon Turner, page 30, “ Sacred History of the 
 World,” and other writers, consider the firmament to 
 refer, and to mean solely, the atmosphere. But the 
 9th verse will make it clear that the word “ firmament” 
 cannot refer to our atmosphere. And God made the 
 firmament, anti divided the waters which were under 
 the firmament from the waters which were above the 
 firmament, and it was so.” Thus, it is, evident that, 
 in either sense of the word, an ocean of waters is here 
 stated to exist above the atmosphere. 
 
 This ninth verse, therefore, leads us to believe that a 
 universal ocean of water exists over and under the 
 heavens If, therefore, our theory of the primary for¬ 
 mation of our earth and planets in this globe of water 
 be founded in the laws of nature, may we not conceive, 
 that the planets of the other systems of the universe 
 have also been, or will be, formed in this universal 
 ocean by the same laws? If the appearance of the 
 geology of the earth have led us to believe that at the 
 time of the separation, when the solid parts of it had 
 been duly formed, they were, in obedience to the 
 Divine command, (probably by the instrumentality of 
 the law of their superior gravity,) then separated from 
 this universal ocean, attracting such parts of it as were 
 within the sphere of attraction of these solid parts, for 
 the formation of its seas and oceans; that the other 
 planets of our system have been formed and evolved in 
 the same manner; and, that these planets, then recei¬ 
 ving from the Creator their projectile force, became 
 immediately subject to their motions round their cen¬ 
 tral sun, may we not, by analqgy, also conceive, that 
 the planets of the other systems have been, or will be, 
 formed by the same laws P 
 
119 
 
 NOTES TO SECOND EDITION. 
 
 Note 1st.— Since publishing the first edition of this 
 work, I have found that Dr. Thompson, in his Chemis¬ 
 try, says, “ We are certain that no particle of light 
 weighs more than the million millionth part of a 
 grain,”—Chemistry, vol. i. p. 300. 
 
 Note 6 . —In Good’s Book of Nature, page 61, it is 
 said, “ To shew,” says Sir Isaac Newton, on gravity, 
 “ that I do not take gravity to be an essential property 
 of matter, I have added one question concerning its 
 cause, choosing to propose it by way of question, 
 because I am not yet satisfied about it, for want of 
 experiments.” In this question he suggests “ the exis¬ 
 tence of an ethereal and elastic medium pervading all 
 space, and supports his supposition by strong argument, 
 and, consequently, much apparant confidence, deduced 
 from the mediums or gases as they are now called, of 
 light, and heat, and magnetism, respecting all which, 
 from their extreme subtility, we can only reason con¬ 
 cerning their properties,—This elastic medium he con¬ 
 ceives to be much rarer within the dense bodies of the 
 sun, the stars, the planets and comets, than in the more 
 empty celestial spaces between them, and to grow 
 more and more dense as it recedes from the celestial 
 bodies to still greater distance, by which means all of 
 them,,in his opinion, are forced towards each other by 
 the excess of an elastic pressure. It is possible, undoubt¬ 
 edly, to account for the effects of gravitation by an 
 ethereal medium thus constituted, provided (as it is also 
 necessary to suppose) that the corpuscles of such a 
 medium are repelled by bodies of common matter, with 
 a force decreasing like other repulsive forces, simply, 
 as the distances increase. Its density, under tnese 
 circumstances, would be every where such as to pro¬ 
 duce the semblance of attraction. The hypothesis, in 
 connection with the existence of a repulsive force in 
 common matter, has a great advantage in point of sim¬ 
 plicity, and may perhaps hereafter be capable of proof; 
 
120 
 
 but at present it can only be regarded, and was at first 
 only offered, as an hypothesis.”* 
 
 Note 7. —The Right Hon. and Rev. Francis Henry, 
 Earl of Bridgewater, died in the month of February, 
 1829, and by his last will and testament he directed 
 certain trustees to invest in the Public Funds the sum 
 of £8000 sterling, to be held at the disposal of the Pre¬ 
 sident of the Royal Society of London, to be paid to 
 the person or persons nominated by him. The testator 
 further directed, that the persons selected by the said 
 President, should be appointed to write, print, and pub¬ 
 lish one thousand copies of a work on the Wisdom 
 and Goodness of God, as manifested in the Creation. 
 There were eight treatises on various subjects.—The 
 Rev. Doctor Buckland was appointed to write the 
 Bridgewater Treatise on Geology. 
 
 NOTE TO THIRD EDITION. 
 
 Note. —I have perceived in Doctor Thompson’s 
 Or ganic Chemistry,” some account of the experiment, 
 of Von Helmont, (see page 52), wherein it is said, that 
 a certain author has stated an opinion that the distilled 
 water used in it contained sufficient earthy matter to 
 account for the increase of the willow. This, I venture 
 to say, is incorrect ; for, in the first place, there is no 
 earthy matter that is volatile at the heat of the boiling 
 point of water ; neither, if the earth were reduced to 
 a saline form by acids, would they be volatile or eva- 
 porable at that heat; moreover, the quantity of water 
 
 * There must certainly be some mode existing to restore the 
 vast waste of heat and light emitted continually by the sun, and 
 perhaps the theory of an ethereal medium, as shewn by Encke’s 
 comet, may furnish the proof above required of Sir Isaac Newton’s 
 hypothesis. Thus, the elastic medium adopted as above, by Newton, 
 being “much rarer within the body of the sun,” there must, there¬ 
 fore, be a continual motion of the distant and more dense parts of 
 that medium towards the sun, which affords another powerful 
 cause by which the planets are carried round him in their res¬ 
 pective orbits; and, on this important subject, we have to refer 
 the reader to our Appendix No. 11., pages 21, 22.—The theory, 
 therein stated, is powerfully supported by the cause above, namely, 
 the movement of the gaseous ethereal medium of Newton towards 
 the sun. 
 
121 
 
 used in the five years could not have been more than 
 456 gallons, that is one quart per day. Now it is not 
 conceivable that distilled water* could contain more 
 than one-quarter of an ounce of earth per gallon, which 
 makes seven pounds.—The willow, however, gained 
 110 pounds in the five years, making 103 pounds pro¬ 
 duced from the water and atmosphere by the process of 
 vegetation in the five years. 
 
 NOTES TO SIXTH EDITION. 
 
 I beg leave to call the readers’s particular attention to 
 the two following notes, being explanatory of the fixa¬ 
 tion of the sun:— v 
 
 Note 1.—In order to shew how Mr. Arago was led 
 to form the conclusion he did respecting the constitution 
 of our sun, as stated in page 10 of the Appendix No. II. 
 I extract the following from “Sketches of Conspicuous 
 Living Characters of France,” translated by R. M. 
 Walsh, Philadelphia, 1846:— 
 
 It was while employed in his optical researches that 
 Arago was led to observe the singular properties of the 
 substance called tourmalin , which divides into two 
 parts the luminous rays which traverse it. He per¬ 
 ceived that when the light, passing through the tour¬ 
 malin, emanated from an opaque body, it was identical 
 in the double radiation produced by the tourmalin ; if, 
 on the contrary, the light was emitted by a gaseous 
 body, it was reflected, in passing through the tour¬ 
 malin, under two different colours.’’—(See Appendix 
 No. II., page 10, for Arago's conclusive induction.) 
 
 It appears to me that Mr. Arago was further led to 
 form this induction in the following manner :—As he 
 had proved, to mathematical demonstration (vide page 
 4 of the Appendix), that the sun’s atmosphere was an 
 ocean of flame, and also, (vide page 1 of that 
 Appendix), that the spots on the sun could be 
 “incontestibly” accounted for by a gaseous medium, he 
 no doubt concluded, that, surrounded by so immense 
 an atmosphere of flame, no solid body could exist ixu 
 
 L 
 
122 
 
 the sun ; and, moreover, that as the sun’s spots were 
 best accounted for by a gaseous medium, that, for these 
 reasons, the sun “ could be nothing but a grand mass 
 of burning gas, agglomerated in infinite space.” 
 
 Note 2. —In the course of my journeys to offer this 
 work for sale, I occasionally meet with questions on the 
 subject of my theory of the sun. Among these, I have 
 been asked how, if the sun were a body of gas, it could 
 remain so stationary in the heavens, as it seems to do? 
 The great astronomer, Arago, (as I have shewn in the 
 Extra Matter for the Fifth Edition of this work, page 
 10), states, that “The sun is nothing but a grand mass 
 of gas, agglomerated in space and the word 
 agglomerated ( agglomere , French,) means collected 
 and fixed in a globe.” 
 
 ISow, the purport of this note is to shew how I have 
 conceived that the vast body of gas (of which, by our 
 theory, the sun consists) is fixed in the regions of space, 
 so that it cannot alter its position, with respect to the 
 planets of its system. As I have shewn, in the 
 Appendix No. II., under the head of Extra Matter for 
 the Sixth Edition, I have, in it, adopted the theory that 
 the comets are employed to convey the gaseous com¬ 
 bustible matter, to supply the waste of the light and 
 heat of the suns of the universe ; and as it is a known 
 chemical fact, that neither of the gases of oxygen or 
 hydrogen are combustible by themselves alone, that is, 
 unmixed, we have conceived, in our theory, that the 
 safety of the planetary bodies would require those gases 
 to be conveyed to the suns by separate comets. We 
 may easily conceive, therefore, that those comets which 
 convey the oxygen gas may discharge their gaseous 
 tails on one side of the sun, either above or below him, 
 at any period after those comets shall have passed 
 through the nearest planetar}* orbit to the sun, which 
 is that of Mercury, being above thirty-seven millions of 
 miles from him. The comets, on the contrary, which 
 convey the hydrogen gas to the sun, .would arrive in its 
 vicinity, and deposit their gaseous tails, in a direction 
 directly opposite to those comets which convey the 
 oxygen gas. By these means the two currents of the 
 
123 
 
 separate gases could not meet nor ignite, until they 
 enter the body of the sun, when they would ignite, and 
 thus restore the waste of his light and heat. So 
 likewise the two opposite and vastly extensive currents 
 of these gases, being drawn into the suns of the 
 universe by the ‘power of the vacuum and draft which 
 the sun’s combustion must be continually forming ; 
 these opposite currents, I say, would have the un¬ 
 doubted effect of keeping the suns in their places, for 
 the fires could not extend themselves beyond the cir¬ 
 cumference of the suns, either on the side of the 
 hydrogen current or on that of the oxygen current, 
 because neither of these gases is at all combustible of 
 itself alone, that is, without being mixed together. By 
 the power of these opposite currents, then, the suns 
 would be fixed and kept in their present positions in 
 space. This fixation, however, of the relative posi¬ 
 tions of the suns, as respects their system of planetary 
 bodies, would not prevent the motions of those suns 
 round the unknown centre, stated by modern astro¬ 
 nomy to exist; for that central movement includes also 
 the movement of all the planetary bodies and their 
 gaseous atmospheres round the same unknown centre, 
 therefore the relative positions of the suns to their 
 planetary systems must always remain the same. 
 
124 
 
 A 
 
 GLOSSARY OF TERMS 
 
 IN THIS WORK. 
 
 Alumine, pure earth of clay. 
 
 Azote and Azotic Gas , a constituent principle of our 
 atmosphere, destructive to combustion and to 
 animal life. 
 
 Appetencies, a supposed aptness of matter to assume 
 certain forms. 
 
 Affinity, that particular attraction which Chemists 
 observe different bodies have for each other. 
 
 JEriform Fluids, gases or fluids resembling common air. 
 
 Caloric, matter of heat pervading all bodies. 
 
 Carbonic Acid, the acid of charcoal formed by burning 
 it in the open air. It escapes in an seriform state. 
 
 Chaotic Mixture, a solution of all the solid substances 
 of the globe, supposed by the ancients to have 
 existed. 
 
 Fossil Remains, of animals or vegetables, found in the 
 earth. 
 
 Galvanic Power, a species of electricity. 
 
 Geology, the science of the various substances forming 
 the interior and the crust of the earth. 
 
 Gravity or Gravitations, that power in matter by which 
 it continnally tends to gravitate towards other 
 bodies, according to the laws of its density and 
 distances, and the power of an elastic pressure. 
 
 Hydrogen, a constituent element of all water ; it is 
 called also inflammable air or gas, and is the same 
 that is now used for lighting cities and inflating 
 balloons. 
 
 Incondescence, any body in a state of ignition. 
 
 Laminae, the appearance of many rocks in the earth 
 resembling the leaves of a book. 
 
 Marine Exuviae, shells or remanis of animals found in 
 the earth. 
 
m 
 
 Matrix, the womb of material or spiritual substance. 
 
 Medium, air, water, or any substance through which 
 the rays of light are made to pass. 
 
 Nucleus, the central part of any globular body. 
 
 Orbits, the paths of the moons round their planets, and 
 of the planets round their sun. 
 
 Oxygen Gas, a constituent element of our atmosphere, 
 supporting combustion and life in the highest 
 degree. It is also a constituent element of water. 
 
 Planets, the heavenly bodies composing our system 
 and revolving round the sun. 
 
 Pneumatic Chemistry, the science of jeriform bodies, 
 
 Silex, siliceous or sandy principle. 
 
 Silicon, the metallic basis of siliceous earth or sand. 
 
 Sodium, a metal lately discovered by Sir H Davy to be 
 the basis of soda, produced by marine plants. 
 
 Sulphuric Acid , common oil of vitriol. 
 
 Tertiary Strata, in geology the strata or rocky forma¬ 
 tions of the earth as far as man has penetrated, are 
 divided into three, the primary being the lowest,— 
 secondary being next,—tertiary being the up¬ 
 permost. 
 
 Vacuum, a space void of matter of any kind, now 
 known not to exist, 
 
 / 
 
126 
 
 APPENDIX. 
 
 No. II. • i 
 
 CONTAINING EXTRA MATTER 
 
 FOR THE' 
 
 4th 5th 6th 7th 8th & 9th EDITIONS. 
 
 I am happy to be able to present the reader of the 
 Fourth Edition of this work with two important 
 extracts from late scientific publications. The one is 
 from the celebrated Arago, the French Astronomer, 
 and the other from Lardner’s Popular Luctures in the 
 American States. 
 
 I now present the following extract from Arago’s 
 Scientific Notices on Comets, in support of our theory 
 of the sun, and of the spots on his surface :— 
 
 “ If the comet of Buffon, in striking the sun, had 
 detached from it solid fragments, if the planets of our 
 system had originally been such fragments, they would 
 in a similar manner have grazed the surface of the sun 
 at each revolution.—All the world knows how far that 
 is from the truth. Did not our naturalist also believe 
 the matter which composes the planets sprung from 
 the solar globe, already formed into distinct masses? 
 He imagined, as I have said, that the comet had spouted 
 forth a real torrent of fluid matter, in which the impul¬ 
 sions which the various parts received from each other, 
 and their mutual attractions, rendered every assimi¬ 
 lation with the movements of solid bodies impossible. 
 The system of Buffon affords explicitly as a result, that 
 the solar matter— at least, the exterior of it—is in a 
 state of liquefaction ; then, I should hasten to declare 
 that the most scrupulous modern observations have not 
 confirmed that idea. 
 
 “ The rapid changes of form which the obscure and 
 luminous solar spots incessantly experience, the 
 immense spaces that those changes spread over in very 
 short times, have already led to the very probable 
 supposition, for some years, that similar phenomena 
 
127 
 
 would occur in a gaseous medium. At present expe¬ 
 riments quite of another nature, experiments on lumi¬ 
 nous polarization made at Paris observatory, incontes- 
 tibly establish this result; and if the exterior and 
 incandescent part of the sun is a gas, the system of 
 BufFon is erroneous in its most essential outset, and is 
 no longer tenable.” 
 
 OBSERVATIONS ON THE ABOVE EXTRACT. 
 
 I have shewn, in the body of the work, that the 
 theory of BufFon is not tenable. Mr. Arago now con¬ 
 firms the fact.—In another part of this edition, I have 
 proposed a query on the subject of the spots on the sun, 
 namely, whether they might not be accounted for by 
 the combustion of the oxygen and hydrogen, gases 
 serving (according to our theory) as fuel for the sun’s 
 fire ; and it is with great satisfaction I am now enabled 
 to add t.o this fourth edition of my work, the sanction 
 given to this idea and to our theory of the sun, by the 
 above extracts from the work above named of the 
 celebrated Astronomer, Arago. He states that phe¬ 
 nomena, similar to the spots on the sun, might arise in 
 a gaseous medium, and allows the possibility that the 
 exterior and incandescent parts of the sun may be a 
 gas, which is precisely consistent with our theory of the 
 sun’s formation, and the means employed by nature to 
 supply the waste of his heat and light. In fine, it 
 would appear, by the experiment on the polarization of 
 light stated above, that the original idea of the great 
 Newton, that the sun is a body of fire or flame, will 
 still hold good ; and that although he had not the ad¬ 
 vantage of the modern discoveries in pneumatic science 
 to direct him, it shews that on this occasion, as on 
 that of the combustibility of the diamond, the genius 
 of the immortal philosopher had formed a just idea of 
 the nature of the sun. I am happy to be able to add a 
 further explanation of this discovery of Arago’s from 
 Dr. Lardner’s very popular lectures in New-York. In 
 page 17, he says, on the subject of the Light of the Sun : 
 
 “ In optics, a beam of light is proved to be suscep¬ 
 tible of a peculiar modification, called Polarization. 
 Light may undergo certain changes, which shall pola- 
 
m 
 
 rize it, imparting to two of the sides of the ray opposite 
 to each other a certain property which the other two 
 do not possess. The question arises wh it are these 
 properties ? 
 
 “ They are various; one, however, is so simple and 
 so nearly connected with the demonstration to which 
 I call your attention, that I shall mention it. If a ray 
 of light fall upon a reflecting surface with either of 
 these two sides which are represented by the two red 
 sides of this wand, it will be reflected at an angle equal 
 to that by which it approached the surface ; but if it 
 strike the surface upon the other opposite side —the 
 blue—it will not be reflected at all; so that two of its 
 faces are capable of reflection, while the other two are 
 not. This is one of the qualities by which polarized 
 light is characterized. In a ray which is not polarized, 
 reflection takes place under all circumstances, but with 
 polarized light only under certain conditions. Thus, 
 we see that light may exist in two distinct states. 
 Now this is the truth which has been contributed to 
 this demonstration by the discoveries of modern optics. 
 Let us turn to another branch of physics. 
 
 “ The science of heat has received more attention 
 within a few years past than any other branch of phy¬ 
 sics. Fourier, a French philosopher, has done much 
 in this department of knowledge. One of the conclu¬ 
 sion he establishes in this: ‘There are three states in 
 which material bodies exist; the solid, liquid, and 
 gaseous ? Fourier proved that when a solid body 
 became incandescent, the light which it emits is pola¬ 
 rized ; that the light emitted by an incandescent liquid 
 (as molten iron) is likewise polarized; and that the 
 light of incandescent gases is unpolarized. These facts 
 are true, whatever, may be the nature of the materials. 
 Here is a distinction established by this great natural 
 philosopher between the light emitted by incandescent 
 solids and liquids, and that emitted by gases. This is 
 the contribution from the science of heat. 
 
 “ Now, Mr. Arago has, with most beautiful sagacity, 
 availed himself of these two facts constituted by the 
 sciences of light and heat, to determine the nature of 
 
129 
 
 the sun’s atmosphere. This may easily be done ; for 
 since it is established that the light from incandescent 
 solids and liquids is polarized, while the light from 
 gaseous bodies is not polarized , all that need be done, to 
 determine this point, is to try the experiment, whether 
 the sun’s light be polarized or not. Arago, by applying 
 the usual tests \ found that it is not polarized. 
 
 “ The conclusion, as inevitable as it is important, is, 
 that the surface of the sun is covered, not by a solid or 
 liquid, but by an atmosphere of flame. Here is one of 
 the most beautiful inferences ever drawn from the 
 whole range of physics, and it is established by the aid 
 of science, with all the certitude of a Mathematical 
 Demonstration. 
 
 “ Arago has proved, therefore that the sun’s atmos¬ 
 phere is an Ocean of Flame.” 
 
 Thus, by the above extract from Arago’s Treatise on 
 Comets, and from Dr. Lardner’s Lectures, it appears 
 that our theory of the sun’s formation is powerfully 
 sanctioned and confirmed ; and, I conceive, I have great 
 cause to congratulate myself on this circumstance. 
 This theory of the sun is based on the undoubted fact 
 that the gases of oxygen and hydrogen, of which the 
 Ocean of Genesis was formed, must have been brought 
 into a state of combustion belore they could produce the 
 Ocean of Genesis, and on the no less indubitable fact 
 that a most stupendous quantity of heat and light must 
 have been evolved from that combustion ; and I then 
 reasoned, that a sun being indispensably required to 
 warm and light the planets of the systems, the Deity 
 could not have applied this heat and light to a more 
 needful purpose. 
 
 Many of my subscribers to the several editions of my 
 theory, and also many men of science, have done me 
 the honour to approve of the same ; but I have reason 
 to believe that a few other persons, considering them¬ 
 selves, no doubt, of too superior acquirements to 
 approve of any thing that had not been previously 
 taught in the schools of science, have rather sneered at 
 what I, with humility, had presented to the world. 
 However, as the justly celebrated Franklin’s suggestions 
 
130 
 
 of the identity of lightning and electricity were at first 
 laughed at by the Royal Society of London, I need not 
 be surprised that the same may have happened to my 
 suggestions on the nature of the sun and his combustion. 
 But now that the gaseous theory is verified by so great 
 authorities as Mr. Arago and the Paris Observatory, as 
 shewn by Dr. Lardner, I cannot but feel content and 
 gratified. By the extract from Arago, it appears that 
 the spots on the sun might exist, and be accounted for 
 and explained by a gaseous medium ;* this being the 
 Case, there is no longer any necessity for receiving 
 that every improbable idea, that the sun’s body is cold 
 and opaque, and I therefore trust our theory will be 
 found by scientific men to be more satisfactory and cor¬ 
 rectly founded in nature. In fact, it appears by Dr. 
 Lardner’s observations on this discovery of Arago, of 
 the non-polarization of the light of the sun, that it is 
 mathematically proved by him that the sun’s surface is 
 an “ Ocean of Flame;” and, I conceive, we are 
 hereby justified in reasoning, by analogy, that the case 
 is the same with the suns or stars of all the systems. 
 
 Conceiving, then, that part of our theory relating to 
 the sun's substance and nature, has been thus (to me 
 indeed unexpectedly) demonstrated by that very high 
 branch of science, the polarization of light, and concei¬ 
 ving, also, that it is unquestionable, that great as the 
 sun’s bulk is, the unceasing emanation of his heat and 
 light would, in time, exhaust his substance, and there¬ 
 fore the waste must necessarily be supplied with extra¬ 
 neous combustible matter: so I trust that part of our 
 theory which relates to the supply of that waste, will 
 be rendered more highly probable by the above discovery. 
 
 One would, indeed, have imagined that, by a priori 
 reasoning on this waste of the sun’s light and heat, 
 philosophers might of old have inferred that it must be 
 supported ab extra ; but now that the gaseous nature of 
 the sun’s incandescence is verified, as shewn above, and 
 as Sir John Herschell has shewn in his late admired 
 work on Astronomy, that the gaseous tails of numerous 
 
 * Verifying our theory of those spots in the “ Theory of the Sun’s 
 Formation.” 
 
131 
 
 comets are deposited in the sun’s vicinity, there can 
 hardly be a doubt that the geseous fuel for the sun’s 
 fire must either be produced thereby, or, as by the 
 theory of my work, from currents of the gases rushing 
 through the regions of space for that purpose. It is 
 indeed, probable that both these sources of gaseous 
 supply may be employed by nature; but the latter 
 theory will also account for the tides by physical pres¬ 
 sure, and for the great principle of attraction of the 
 heavenly bodies, namely, the impetus of motion gene¬ 
 rated by a gaseous medium rushing through the regions 
 of space ; and I have accordingly adopted that theory 
 in my System of the Creation* 
 
 NOTE TO FOURTH EDITION. 
 
 In further corroboration of the formation of coal from 
 marine plants and trees grown in the ocean, we observe 
 that, in contemplating these immense masses of marine 
 vegetable matter, we have a right to ask of those who 
 argue terrestrial formation, what has become of those 
 masses of marine vegetation after the termination of 
 their vegetable life ? Undoubtedly there can be no 
 other satisfactory account given of this than that they 
 have, like all other dead vegetable matter, suffered 
 decomposition, and by means of the superincumbent 
 pressure of other deposits of the oceans and volcanic 
 heats, have been changed and converted into seams of 
 coal, as we now find them. 
 
 There they lay, containing a considerable quantity 
 of ammonia, received from their contact with the ani¬ 
 mal deposits of the oceans, and which ammonia cannot 
 be accounted for by the theory of formation from terres¬ 
 trial vegetables, for these yield very little or no ammo¬ 
 nia. 
 
 * Having, in this sixth edition of this work, formed our theory 
 of supplying the waste of the sun’s light anti heat by means of the 
 comets, in place of our former theory of currents of gases, the reader 
 will observe, that we now refer the attraction of the earth and pla¬ 
 nets round the sun to the gaseous medium now proved to exist in 
 infinite space.—Vide Note 6th to Second Edition. 
 
132 
 
 In proof of the diversity of marine production, I 
 extract the following account of that immense sea 
 plant, the ic Fucus Giganticus,” from the celebrated 
 Professor Liebig’s familiar Letters on Chemistry.— 
 
 • Letter 11, page 34 :— 
 
 “ We well know that marine plants cannot derive a 
 supply of humus for their nourishment through their 
 roots. Look at the great sea-tang, the Fucus Giganticus: 
 this plant, according to Cook, reaches a height of 360 
 feet, and a single specimen, with its immense ramifi¬ 
 cations, nourishes thousands of marine animals; yet its 
 root is a small body, no larger than the fist. What 
 nourishment can this draw from a naked rock, upon the 
 surface of which there is no perceptible change]—It is 
 quite obvious that these plants require only a hold,—a 
 fastening, to prevent a change of place,—as a counter¬ 
 poise to their specific gravity, which is less than that of 
 the medium in which they float. That medium pro¬ 
 vides the necessary nourishment, and presents it to the 
 surface of every part of the plant. Sea-water contains 
 not only carbonic acid and ammonia, but the alkalime 
 and earthy phosphates and carbonates required by these 
 plants for their growth, and which we always find as 
 constant constituents of their ashes.” 
 
 As some supposed astronomical causes are being pro¬ 
 duced in support of an idea that the dry land has existed 
 several hundred thousand years, which is contrary to 
 the interpretation of the Mosaic account, as explained 
 in our system, and founded on the idea that the coal 
 seams have each taken thousands of years for forma¬ 
 tion from terrestrial vegetables, which idea is purely 
 gratuitous, and incapable of any proof; we have to call 
 the attention of the reader to this note confirming our 
 arguments for the marine formation of coal, and also 
 to the same in a former page of this edition. 
 
EXTRA MATTER FOR THE FIFTH EDITION. 
 
 In this Fifth Edition of our work we are happy to be 
 able to give two very important scientific extracts, the 
 one from Mr. Lyal’s sixth edition of his “ Principles of 
 Geology,” vol. 2, page 431, whereby be confirms our 
 theory of the earth’s formation, as relates to there being 
 no central fire therein.—The other important extract is 
 from a work lately published in Philadelphia, called 
 “ Sketches of Conspicuous Living Characters in France,” 
 translated from the French. 
 
 Extract from “ Lyal’s Principles of Geology,” vol. 2, 
 sixth edition:— 
 
 ie It may assist us, in forming a clearer view of the 
 doctrine now controverted, of Central Heat, if we con¬ 
 sider what would happen were a globe of homogenous 
 composition placed under circumstances analagous, in 
 regard to the distribution of heat, to those above stated. 
 If the whole planet, for instance, were composed of 
 water, covered with a spheroidal crust of ice, fifty miles 
 thick, and with an interior ocean having a central heat 
 about 200 times that of the melting point of ice, or 
 6,400 of Fahrenheit, and if, between the surface and the 
 centre there were even every intermediate degree of 
 temperature between that of melting ice and that of the 
 central neucleus, would such a state of things last for a 
 moment ? If it must be conceded, in this case, that the 
 whole spheriod would instantly be in a state of the most 
 violent ebullition; that the ice, instead of being streng¬ 
 thened annually by new internal layers, would soon 
 melt, and form parts of an atmosphere of steam, on what 
 principle can it be maintained that analagous effects 
 would not follow in regard to the earth, under the condi¬ 
 tions assumed in the theory of Central Heat?”—Vide 
 LyaPs Principles of Geology , vol. 2. 
 
 OBSERVATIONS ON TEE ABOVE EXTRACT. 
 
 It is with great satisfaction I find, by the above 
 extract, that Mr. Lyal agrees in the results of our 
 
 M 
 
I 
 
 134 
 
 theory of the Earth’s formation, namely, that no central 
 fire exists; which is stated at full in our elucidation of 
 that theory in this Edition. 
 
 It is perfectly evident, that if the heat of the earth 
 did increase down to its centre, in the same ratio as it 
 is stated to do in the Artesian wells and in other expe¬ 
 riments on the subject, that an ocean of liquid fire 
 must be produced, of near 8,000 miles in depth ; it is 
 equally evident that heat or caloric incessantly tends 
 to diffuse itself into all surrounding bodies ; therefore, 
 the enormous heat of this internal ocean of fire would 
 be sufficient to melt down the hardest rocks com¬ 
 posing the crust of the earth, with nearly equal ease 
 and certainty as the ice would be melted, in the above 
 statement of Mr. Lyal’s. The idea, then, of this 
 central ocean of fire is preposterous, as, in that case, 
 the crust of the earth would long ago have ceased to 
 exist. 
 
 As to the cause of the existing internal heats and 
 fires of the crust of the Earth, we have exnlained our 
 ideas thereon in this edition, conceiving these causes 
 to be, the last decompositions of combustible matter 
 from the oceanic waters of Genesis, and that this com¬ 
 bustible matter being still in ignition, thereby pro¬ 
 duces the earthquakes and volcanic action of the 
 present times. 
 
 In our fourth edition, I gave extracts from M. Arago, 
 on Comets, and from Lardner’s Lectures, showing 
 that experiments on Light, made at the Paris Obser¬ 
 vatory, had proved that the atmosphere of the sun was 
 an “ocean of flame.” I have, since that edition was pu¬ 
 blished, met with a “Life of Arago,” and find that this 
 great astronomer, after making subsequent expe¬ 
 riments on light, has been led to announce his entire 
 concurrence in our theory of the gaseous nature of the 
 sun through its entire diameter; and this opinion is of 
 the more importance from the consideration, that he 
 probably would not venture to propound it, had he not 
 full and sufficient scientific grounds for so doing. 
 
 I now beg leave to congratulate many of my readers 
 who have, since the publication of the first edition, in 
 
135 
 
 3836, given me their approbation of the same: I con¬ 
 gratulate them, that their judgement has been sanc¬ 
 tioned by the high authorities stated in the third and 
 fourth editions, and in the present, as will appear by the 
 following extract from a work called *‘A Sketch of Cons¬ 
 picuous Characters living in France,” published in 
 Philadelphia, and translated from the French : 
 
 “Life of M. Arago. —Subjecting thus to the action 
 u of the Tourmaline (a precious stone) the rays from 
 “ the Heavenly bodies, M. Arago was led, by in- 
 “ duction, to/conclude, ‘That the sun is nothing but 
 
 “ A GRAND MASS OF GAS AGGLOMERATED IN SPACE.’” 
 
 I now humbly beg leave to make a few concluding 
 observations on the very important confirmation which 
 our theory of the Sun’s formation, as first stated in 
 the first edition of this work, printed at Toronto in 
 1836, has received from these late discoveries on light. 
 
 I founded that theory on the indisputable chemical 
 fact of the elementary 'composition of w^ater by the 
 combustion of its constituent gases; and I was led to 
 apply the evolution of the stupendous quantity of Light 
 and Heat which must have ensued from the com¬ 
 bustion of the oxygen and hydrogen gase s 
 for the formation of the ocean of Genesis) to the 
 formation of our Sun; and* the supply of the waste 
 of its light and heat by currents of these gases drawn 
 into the Sun from the regions of infinite space. 
 
 Nine years have now r elapsed since the first publi¬ 
 cation of this theory. The sale of near 3,000 copies 
 of the work proves that it has been approved of in 
 Canada; but it was, during a great part of that time, 
 uncertain whether it would receive the concurrence of 
 men of acknowledged science in Fmrope ; and I am, 
 therefore, the more satisfied now, that it has done so. 
 
 When we reflect on the immense distance from the 
 Sun of some of the Planets of our system (Herschell 
 being 1,800 millions of miles off) we cannot suppose 
 that a body in a state of combustion of less dimensions 
 than our Sun, nearly 800,000 miles in diameter, wrmld 
 be sufficient to light and heat them. 
 
136 
 
 With respect to the mode by which the light and 
 heat of the Sun is conveyed to the Planets, there appears 
 to be two theories ; the one is that of Sir Isaac Newton, 
 that they come in right lines from the Sun ; the other 
 that they act, by means of undnlations, on an ethereal 
 fluid. I embrace the Newtonian theory decidedly, and 
 for this plain and simple reason, that we have the di¬ 
 rect evidence of our sight that it is the true one. A 
 person observing the rays when the Sun is setting 
 behind trees, will see those rays reaching from the Sun 
 all the way to the Earth in direct right lines. 
 
 When we consider the vast distance of the Sun from 
 our Earth—95,000,000 of miles, and the incessant ten¬ 
 dency of all caloric to find an equilibrium, by diffusing 
 itself into surrounding space, we may conceive that a 
 certain portion of the caloric of the Sun’s rays may be 
 thus lost in its passage to the Planets ; I therefore have, 
 on reflection, been led to conceive that the particles of 
 heat and light in the rays sre, somehow, chemically 
 combined, in their passage from the Sun to our atmos¬ 
 phere, to prevent this dispersion of their heat, aud that, 
 particularly in the lower parts thereof, where aqueous 
 vapour most prevails, a decomposition of the light and 
 heat takes places, and they are then set free to act, by 
 which the cause of great degrees of cold in the higher 
 regions will be accounted for, the decomposition and 
 action of the rays not fully taking place until they have 
 passed through those regions, and reached the more 
 dense and aqueous parts below them. 
 
 I now conclude with one observation on that part of 
 our theory of the Sun relating to the supply of the 
 waste of his heat and light. As the entire body of the 
 Sun is, by the above authorities, considered gaseous, it 
 follows indispensably, that some mode of supplying its 
 waste of combustion must be resorted to by nature ; 
 and we therefore conceive our theory of the mode of 
 supply receives greater confirmation. * 
 
 * For this mode of supply, vide “ Theory of the Sun’s Formation.” 
 
EXTRA MATTER EOR THE SIXTH EDITION. 
 
 Since the publication of the fith edition of this work, it 
 appears that Lord Rosse, by the high magnifying power 
 of his six foot in diameter telescope, (being the largest 
 ever constructed,) has made a most important discovery 
 concerning the nebular hypothesis of the Astronomer, 
 Laplace.—Before stating this discovery, I here give an 
 account of these nebulas from Arago and Lardner’s 
 Astronomy, in 1845, page 24, under the head of “Fixed 
 Stars’’:— 
 
 “One of these nebular beds is so rich, that in passing 
 through a section of it, only in the time of thirty-six 
 minutes, I detected no less than thirty-one nebulas, all 
 distinctly visible upon a fine blue sky. Their situation 
 and shape, as well as condition, seems to denote the 
 greatest variety imaginable. In another stratum, or 
 perhaps a different branch of the former, I have seen 
 double and treble nebulas variously arranged; large 
 ones with small, seeming attendants; narrow, but 
 much extended ; lucid nebulae, or bright dashes; some 
 of the shape of a fan, resembling an electric brush, 
 issuing from a lucid point; others of the cometic shape, 
 with a seeming nucleus in the centre; or like cloudy 
 stars surrounded with an atmosphere ; a different sort 
 again contain a nebulosity of the milky kind, like that 
 wonderful inexplicable phenomenon about 0 Orionis; 
 while others shine with a fainter mottled kind of light, 
 which denotes their being resolvable into stars.” 
 
 Mr.. Mullinger Higgins also gives an account of the 
 nebulae, in his treatise on the “Physical Condition, Ac* 
 of the Earth,” 1840 :— 
 
 “Nebulae exhibit a variety of appearances, some¬ 
 times presenting themselves as globular clusters of stars, 
 and sometimes as diffused nebulosity. Many are, no 
 doubt, stars at so enormous a distance from us that 
 they can only be distinguished by the doubtful light 
 they throw around them.—Others have been supposed 
 to consist of phosphorescent matter, which either 
 extends itself over the heavens, or is condensed around 
 3ome star or dense matter. Sir William Herschell has 
 m2 
 
138 
 
 delineated a very beautiful nebulous appearance in 
 Orion, which he observed with his large telescope.— 
 Huygens, speaking of the same nebulosity, says, ‘that 
 its appearence had the same effect upon an observer as 
 that which might be supposed to proceed from raising 
 a curtain that hid from the observer an ocean of light, 
 the waves of which were irregularly illuminated.” 
 
 “To the question, what is the ultimate designation of 
 these nebulae, we can only answer by conjectures. Sir 
 William Herschell thought he could trace a regular 
 series of changes from a simple distribution of nebulous 
 matter to that of a nebulous star, and some astronomers 
 believe that a condensation of this matter is constantly 
 going on, and that new worlds are daily in the process 
 of formation. This is a splendid idea, and if the mind 
 could at all adequately grasp it, would give an over¬ 
 whelming conception of omnipotent skill; but there 
 are some who have no higher ambition than to exclude 
 God from His works, and to invest with His dignity 
 and sovereignty that indefinable thing they are pleased 
 to designate chance. It is not to be doubted that the 
 great mind of Laplace was tainted with this unaccoun¬ 
 table and unphilosophical desire ; but, however this 
 might be, he has availed himself of the discoveries that 
 were made by Sir William Herschell for the invention 
 of an hypothesis by which to account for the formation 
 of the planets, and the sun itself, from a nebulous lumi¬ 
 nosity, which he is pleased to designate the primitive 
 cause.’’ 
 
 In the London Globe the following article appea¬ 
 red :— 
 
 “Dr. Nichol, who has been lecturing in Edinburgh, 
 under the auspices of the Philosophical Association of 
 that city, stated to the audience the result of Rosses 
 recent observations on the nebula of Orion. ‘He had,’ 
 he said, ‘received a letter from Lord Rosse, dated so 
 lately as the 19th of March, 1846, in which he said he 
 had obtained so favourable a view as to be enabled to 
 resolve the whole of one part of Orion into separate 
 stars ; and that he had no doubt, from there being only 
 one-third of the magnifying power of the telescope 
 
139 
 
 employed, that in favourable states of the atmosphere 
 the whole would be resolvable. This, then, completely 
 cuts away the ground from under the nebular hypo¬ 
 thesis, and leaves Laplace's very ingenious deductions 
 among the many cosmogonies with which the world 
 has been amused. There was a new subject of wonder, 
 however, opened on the human mind, overwhelming it 
 with the boundless riches of the beneficient Creator. 
 Orion, from its immense bulk and the immeasurable 
 distance it is thrown back into the regions of space, 
 must be composed of a greater number of stars than 
 those of our visible firmament, so that here was another 
 universe, as it were, discovered to the human race. 
 What had formerly the appearance of gold dust sprink¬ 
 led in the sky was now distinctly seen to be separate 
 stars, but firmly compressed together, giving out a 
 great effulgence of light, and not in the spare manner 
 they appear in our system.” 
 
 Dr. Nichol is Professor of Astronomy in Glasgow, of 
 high character, and though he had published a work 
 on the nebulas, it appears he has now abandoned the 
 nebular hypothesis. 
 
 The next extract is from another paper:— 
 
 “We gather a few interesting particulars, concerning 
 the power of this great telescope, from a lecture 
 recently delivered in Dublin, by Dr. Scoresby. By 
 means of this instrument, Lord Rosse has discovered 
 that the four stars, called the trapezium in Orion, are 
 six stars. But the extraordinary powers of the ins¬ 
 trument were best exhibited when turned upon the 
 nebulae, of which Sir John Herschell and his father ex¬ 
 amined and catalogued about two thousand. Of these 
 a great many have been found resolvable into stars; 
 but there were still a great many of these nebulae that 
 no telescope could resolve into any thing except misty 
 specks; whence astronomers, anxious to find support for 
 the nebular hypothesis, had hastily concluded that they 
 were absolute nebulae as yet uncondensed into stars. 
 About the close of last year, the Earl of Rosse suc¬ 
 ceeded in getting his great telescope into complete 
 operation, and, during the first month of his obser- 
 
140 
 
 vations, on fifty of these unresolvable nebulas he suc¬ 
 ceeded in ascertaining that forty-three of them were 
 already resolvable into masses of stars. Thus is con¬ 
 firmed the opinion, that we have only to increase the 
 power of the instrument, to resolve all the nebulas hy¬ 
 pothesis of Laplace into a splendid astronomical dream. 
 The telescope of the Earl of Rosse has also enabled 
 him to make some discoveries in the moon, which we 
 may notice hereafter.” 
 
 Thus it appears that this nebulas hypothesis, by 
 which it has been attempted to shew the world how* 
 the earth and planets had been formed, is now dis¬ 
 proved ; and I cannot but consider that a great obs¬ 
 tacle to the more general reception of my system of 
 the Creation is removed. Its theory is founded on 
 the Scriptural history of the formation of our earth in 
 the waters of Genesis, and on the idea that the Deity 
 has established laws in our system, which, when in¬ 
 vestigated by due scientific research, are competent to 
 account for all the phenomena of our earth’s formation ; 
 and as our attempt to give the time required by Geo¬ 
 logy for the formation of the crust of our earth and our 
 theory of the sun, have been sanctioned by the high 
 authorities stated in the work, we consider it will not 
 be presumptuous to carry out the system to a greater 
 extent, more especially as we trust, by natural results 
 from this system, to be enabled to shew, (that as what 
 has been called nebulous matter yet exists in very 
 distant regions of infinite space): we trust to be able 
 to shew what the design of those nebulas is, and also 
 what are the real purposes of the comets in the vast 
 scale of Creation.—And I consider it will be fortunate 
 if, starting from known and established facts in Scrip¬ 
 ture and in the sciences, and. advancing into the yet 
 unknown and profound regions of the formation of the 
 systems, we may, by a just combination of these facts 
 and data, be enabled to establish a theory which will 
 receive the assent of science, in opposition to the 
 absurd doctrines of chance formation. We now pro¬ 
 ceed to shew why we consider that nebulas may yet 
 exist in distant regions of space, and what the pur- 
 
141 
 
 poses of these nebulae are, as indicated by natural 
 results of our theory of supplying the sun’s waste in 
 combustion 
 
 If the sanction given to our theory of the sun by the 
 great Astronomer, Arago, be sustained, it will of ne¬ 
 cessity result, that immense quantities of the com¬ 
 bustible gases must be supplied to restore his waste. 
 And here may, perhaps, be the proper place to notice 
 a few theories of the sun which have been presented 
 to the world. The great Newton always maintained 
 that the sun was a body of fire ; but the science of 
 gaseous bodies being then unknown, he did not, nor 
 could not, explain of what that fire consisted ; but it 
 is very remarkable; that this opinion of the im¬ 
 mortal philosopher now bids fair to be confirmed by 
 the recent discoveries of the French Astronomers on 
 the polarisation of light. 
 
 The next noticeable theory of the sun is that of the 
 late Sir Wm. Herschell, who conceived that “the appea¬ 
 rance of the spots in the sun was explained by rup¬ 
 tures occurring in the sun’s atmosphere, and exposing 
 the solid globe of the sun to view.” Now the reader, 
 on referring to what Mr. Arago says, in page 1 of the 
 Appendix, No. II, to this m>rk, will find that of these 
 spots on the sun it has been proved that they might 
 occur in a gaseous medium ; this result, he says, has 
 been established incontestibly; and this agrees 
 exactly with our theory, that the spots are occasioned 
 by the dense volumes of aqueous vapour which must be 
 produced by the vast combustion of the oxygen and 
 hydrogen gases for the supply of the sun’s waste. 
 Sir John Herschell states, in his late treatise on Astro¬ 
 nomy, that by the law by which heat is governed, 
 namely, that it diminishes according to the square of the 
 distance, “that there must be an enormous degree of 
 heat in the sun.” Sir Isaac Newton states, that this 
 heat must be “many thousand times greater than red 
 hot iron.” How, then is it possible to suppose that 
 any solid or liquid body could exist with this enor¬ 
 mous degree of heat on its surface? Dense clouds 
 and winds, in our own atmosphere, do certainly in- 
 
142 
 
 I 
 
 tercept some degree of beat from the sun, it being 
 ninety-five millions of miles away; but what would be 
 the effect if the sun were close upon us ? I do not 
 believe that any power of either reflection or refraction 
 could then save the earth from instant combustion; 
 and the same must be the case with any solid matter 
 in the sun. 
 
 Again, I have lately learnt that a theory of the sun 
 has been proposed, on the idea that his heat and light 
 are produced by electricity. It is thus supposed that 
 all difficulties as to the great cause of the light and 
 heat of the sun will be at once removed by the single 
 term “ electricity,” and that the inquiring mind of man 
 may now rest quiet on the subject; much in the same 
 way that Atheistical writers formerly supposed they 
 had cleared away all their difficulties, by referring 
 them to chance formation. Electricity has, till very 
 lately, been looked upon as so mysterious and occult a 
 science, that the cause of it had almost been thought 
 unfathomable, and those who have now sported the 
 idea, that the sun is merely a great galvanic machine, 
 probably believe they have found the “ ne plus ultra ” 
 of causation. That profoundly ingenious Chemist, 
 Liebeg, has now, however, pretty clearly shewn that 
 electricity is equally subject to, if not produced by, 
 chemical action, as any other body. Without the pre¬ 
 vious action of aqueous, acid, or saline substance, on 
 the metals employed, no electricity is evolved by gal¬ 
 vanism. Before, therefore, we can refer to electricity 
 as the cause of the light and heat, of the sun, we have 
 first to find whence is produced the indispensible 
 “ materiel” of this electricity. 
 
 By the idea of the above writers, of the Sun’s being 
 a galvanic machine, we should have to imagine that 
 plates of solid zinc and copper exist in it. Now as we 
 have shewn in the fourth and fifth editions of our Sys¬ 
 tem of Creation, that first-rate Astronomer, Arago, has 
 proved to “ mathematical demonstration,” that the 
 Sun’s atmosphere is an “ ocean of flame” ; and by sub¬ 
 sequent induction from later experiments on light, he 
 has concluded that the entire mass of the Sun is a body 
 
143 
 
 of gas in a state of combustion. In this stupendous 
 heat, then, no solid body could exist. But what appears 
 to me almost an unanswerable refutation of the above 
 idea is, that the light and heat as it comes to us from 
 the Sun, is of a totally different nature from the electric 
 fluid. The rays of light and heat from the Sun produce 
 the most genial and vivifying effects on all nature. It 
 has been proved by experiment that a ray of light has 
 no impulsive power whatever. 
 
 It has been asked, whether the rays of light—whose 
 velocity is enormous, since, as we shall show, it exceeds 
 70,000 leagues in a second—have any appreciable im¬ 
 pulsive force : but the most delicate experiments have 
 detected nothing of the kind .”—Arago and LardneAs 
 Astronomy. 
 
 On the contrary, electric shocks, even from our at¬ 
 mosphere, generally prove destructive where the fluid 
 strikes.—Would not therefore electric shocks from so 
 vast a galvanic machine as must be supposed by the 
 above idea to exist in the Sun, possibly have the effect 
 of rending the Earth and Planets in sunder ? Our dis¬ 
 tance from the Sun can be no argument against this, 
 for distance appears to have no effect whatever on elec¬ 
 tricity. In short, the actual effects of the light and 
 heat of the Sun, on coming to our earth, are so opposite 
 to those of the electric fluid, that I cannot but consider 
 the above idea as totally untenable. 
 
 Now our theory of the mode by which the waste of 
 the Sun’s light and heat is restored, gives the source 
 from which the “ materiel” of the Sun’s combustion is 
 supplied, namely, (according to the theory we have 
 preferred in the present edition), by means of the 
 comets.* 
 
 * I have to state, that having reconsidered that part of our theory 
 relating to the means of supplying the waste of the sun’s lire, (as 
 in the former editions), by currents of the combustible gases 
 rushing through the regions of space, L have come to the conclusion 
 that as these gases must then probably pass through the atmos¬ 
 pheres of the planets by which they might chance to be inflamed, 
 I have, therefore, in the present edition, corrected that part of our 
 theory, and adopted, instead, that of the gases being supplied by 
 means of the comets, whereby, as comets have never been known 
 
144 
 
 The idea I have formed of electricity is, that it con¬ 
 sists of heat and light combined together in some un¬ 
 known and unique manner, and that the energy and 
 violence of its effects is occasioned by the mutual ex¬ 
 pansive efforts of the light and heat to disengage them¬ 
 selves, and I am therefore inclined to believe that in 
 the portion of electric fluid existing in the combustible 
 body, these efforts are assisted by the decomposition of 
 the oxygen gas ; that the fluid is decomposed, and the 
 light and heat of this electric matter is evolved, and 
 then forms a part of the combustion. So far only, I 
 believe that electricity may be concerned in the Sun’s 
 combustion.* * 
 
 The other theory I notice is one called “ Vestiges of 
 the Creation,” very lately published in England. The 
 original source of the production of the heavenly bodies, 
 of this work, appears to be much of the same description 
 as that of the Primitive World, by the Abbe de Sales, 
 except that the author of the “ Vestiges of Creation” 
 calls his origin “ a fire mist” instead of central fire. 
 But from what cause or source he gets this fire-mist 
 from which the Sun and Planets, as he says, originated, 
 he does not inform us. Neither does he nor the 
 former writer explain how the solid bodies of the earth 
 and planets could be produced from fire alone, although 
 this would be a very puzzling discovery for his readers 
 to make. 
 
 Having now finished our observations on these various 
 theories, we return to our previous proposal of shewing 
 what we conceive the purposes of the nebulae may be, 
 as indicated by the natural results of our theory, for 
 
 to come near those atmospheres, no danger is to be apprehended, 
 and I have the more willingly adopted this alteration, that 1 am 
 therein sanctioned by the authority of the great Sir Isaac Newton. 
 
 * I have to add, that by the present theory of combustion, even 
 if the sun were a solid body, producing heat and light by volcanic 
 action, still that heat and light must be ultimately derived from 
 gaseous matter. The wood and coal of our terrestrial fires produce 
 their heat and light by absorbing oxygen from the atmosphere, and 
 thus setting free the heat and light that retained that oxygen in the 
 gaseous state, and thereby we learn that gaseous matter is actually 
 the great source of combustion even in our planet. 
 
145 
 
 supplying the waste of the sun’s fire. In the third 
 edition of this work, on the subject of Sir David 
 Brewster’s discovery of the existence of gaseous matter 
 in the sun’s atmosphere, as related in Dr, Graham’s 
 Elements of Chemistry, the Doctor adds, “We may 
 thus, hereafter, be enabled to explain how the light and 
 heat of the suns of other systems have been formed and 
 maintained.” Sir Isaac Newton considered that there 
 must be an enormous waste in the sun, from his un¬ 
 ceasing emanations of light and heat, and he con¬ 
 jectured that this waste was restored by the means of 
 the comets. “By far the greater number of comets,” 
 says Dr. Lardner, “appear to be mere masses ofvapour, 
 totally divested of all concrete or solid matter.” 
 About seven millions of comets are computed by 
 Lardner and Arago to be contained in our solar sys¬ 
 tem.* What, then, can be the purpose of such a vast 
 number of cometary bodies 1 They , at least, cannot be 
 habitable ; they are aeriform,—stars have been seen 
 through their central neuclei,—and we can conceive 
 no idea more probable than that they are designed to 
 distribute their aeriform matter into the atmospheres of 
 the sun’s, for the purpose of restoring the waste of their 
 combustion ; and on this we shall shortly state our 
 theory. 
 
 But having had the question put to me, how the at¬ 
 traction of the planets by the sun could be accounted 
 for, if he were only a body of gas in combustion ; I here 
 reply to this important question as follows :—In note 6 r 
 second edition, I have shewn, from Good’s Book of 
 Nature, that Sir Isaac Newton himself did not consider 
 gravity to be an essential property of matter ; but that 
 he considered it might be explained by means of “ an 
 elastic gaseous medium, by which means the celestial 
 bodies are forced towards each other by the excess of 
 an elastic pressure.” Mr, Good also agrees that it is 
 
 * Sir John Herseliell, in treating on the Zodiacal Light, (See 
 Index for Sixth Edition of System of Creation), says, the actual 
 materials of the tails of millions of comets, of which they have been 
 stripped, in their successive perihelion passages, may be slowly 
 subsiding into the sun. 
 
 N 
 
146 
 
 possible to account for the effects of gravitation by an 
 ethereal medium thus constituted. So does Sir Richard 
 Philips in his theory of the Heavenly Bodies. 
 
 That there is such a gaseous medium existing in 
 space, is proved to the satisfaction of most Astronomers. 
 In note 17, first edition, from Whewell’s Bridgewater 
 Treatise, it is said, “ But the facts that have led Astro¬ 
 nomers to the conviction that such a resisting medium 
 really exists, are certain circumstances occurring in the 
 motion of a body revolving round the sun, which is 
 now usually called Encke’s Comet.” All the operations 
 of nature we know of are produced by physical laws. 
 Gravitation is the most energetic and universal of all 
 the operations of nature, therefore there is the more 
 reason for believing that it is brought about by the 
 same mode which we find employed by the Creator in 
 all the operations that are going on under our eyes, 
 namely, by those physical laws. And in addition to 
 the strong arguments employed by Newton himself, 
 (which will be seen in note 6, second edition, con¬ 
 taining his explanation of gravitation by means of the 
 elastic gaseous medium), I have to state, that it is 
 known that electricity pervades almost all nature. Our 
 atmosphere, our earth, and all water, especially when 
 in a vaporized state, are charged with the electric fluid. 
 Our earth is pervaded by magnetic and electiic cur¬ 
 rents ; and what I wish now to state, therefore, in ad¬ 
 dition to Sir Isaac Newton’s arguments on the ethereal 
 gaseous medium, is, that I conceive that medium is 
 also pervaded and excited to motion by the electric 
 fluid. I believe that this electric fluid is a most potent 
 agent of nature, by which she keeps the ethereal ga¬ 
 seous medium in a constant state of motion and activity, 
 for producing the force which carries the planetary 
 bodies in their courses round the sun ; and I believe 
 this is the very purpose for which this ethereal electric 
 medium exists in space. As above shewn, it appea?s 
 that the great Sir Isaac himself thought this ethereal 
 gaseous medium was sufficient to account for gravita¬ 
 tion, and I now humbly beg leave to add my belief, 
 that, with the aid of the vast powers known to be pos- 
 
147 
 
 sessed by the electric fluid, there can be no doubt of 
 these united forces being competent to produce the 
 effect of the gravitation of the heavenly bodies round 
 the sun. In corroboration of this physical cause of gra¬ 
 vitation, I am happy to be enabled to give the follow¬ 
 ing short extract from the celebrated author of “Cosmos” 
 Baron Von Humboldt. In Vol. 1, page 137, he says, on 
 the subject of the revolutions of the double stars, “ But 
 whether the attracting forces depend solely on the quan¬ 
 tity of matter in these systems as in ours, or whether 
 there may not co-exist with gravitation other specific 
 forces, which do not act according to mass, is, as Bessel 
 has been the first to shew, a question of which the so¬ 
 lution is reserved for later ages.” 
 
 Now I have shewn above, that Sir Isaac Newton did 
 not leave the world without giving it his opinion how 
 the great principle of gravity, discovered by him, was 
 produced and carried on, and as the electric fluid is 
 found to pervade all nature, we cannot suppose that 
 the ethereal gaseous medium is void of it; repulsion 
 and attraction are the great attributes of electricity. 
 I, therefore, humbly offer these considerations to men 
 of science, on the forces by whose influence the planets 
 are carried round the sun, considering it, as Arago says, 
 to be a vast mass of gaseous matter in a state of com¬ 
 bustion. 
 
 If, therefore, our theory of the sun be substantiated* 
 (as indeed it has already in part, by the induction 
 formed by Mr. Arago, that the sun is nothing but a 
 grand mass of gas agglomerated in space), it neces¬ 
 sarily follows that the waste of this combustion must 
 be supplied by currents of gaseous matter, and the pe¬ 
 culiar attraction of the sun will have to be reduced to 
 the degree of that power which his weight,- as a 
 body of gas, will give him. The remaining quan¬ 
 tity of attraction or pressure required to carry the earth 
 and planets round the sun, will arise from the elastic 
 gaseous medium existing in space and acted upon by 
 electric forces. Proceed we now in support of our 
 theory. By it we conceive that the waste of the sun’s 
 fire must be replaced by gaseous combustible matter. 
 
148 
 
 The vast quantity of this matter for the continual 
 supply of our sun, whose diameter is nigh 800,000 
 miles, may indeed be conceived, and perhaps calcu¬ 
 lated ; but though, as Dr. Graham says above, “we 
 may henceforth be enabled to explain how the light 
 and heat of the suns or stars of the other systems 
 is formed and maintained,” and which, reasoning by 
 analogy with our own sun, we certainly may do, yet 
 how are we to contemplate the stupendous and incal¬ 
 culable quantity of gaseous matter which would be 
 required for the due supply of the millions of suns 
 which the astronomers state to exist in the universe ? 
 
 I have therefore conceived and adopted the idea 
 that there may be elaboratories of these gasses appointed 
 by the Creator in the distant regions of space ; for, 
 believing that nothing short of a direct act of creation 
 would be adequate for restoring the stupendous quan¬ 
 tities of gaseous matter wanted for the supply of all the 
 suns of the universe, I have therefore conceived that, 
 although Lord Rosse has resolved the nebulae in the 
 constellation Orion into stars, still some or many of the 
 nebulae discovered in other regions of space may actu¬ 
 ally be elaboratories established by the Deity for the 
 formation of this gaseous matter . 
 
 The positive fact of the tails of comets being gaseous, 
 their uniform courses round the sun, the changes which 
 take place when they leave him, all appear to me a 
 great confirmation of the sun’s gaseous nature, and if 
 this be ultimately conceded, we have every right to 
 conclude that the other stars or suns of the universe 
 are gaseous also, and though it might be conceived 
 that a sufficient quantity of gaseous matter might be 
 found in a space that is infinite, still the safety of the 
 earth and planets precludes that idea. I have there¬ 
 fore come to the conclusion, as is stated above, that 
 there must be elaboratories for the formation of the 
 gases required, in which elaboratories a constant act of 
 creation of the elementary matter of those gases would 
 be indispensable, to supply the unceasing and stu¬ 
 pendous waste. If, therefore, our theory of the sun 
 continues to be substantiated, (and, as will be shortly 
 
149 
 
 shewn, the planet lately discovered offers a strong confir¬ 
 mation of it), and as nothing short of a direct act of 
 creation could produce a supply of gaseous matter for 
 all the suns of the universe, we must refer to such an 
 act of creation for that supply, and we trust we shall 
 indeed thereby lead our readers “through Nature’s 
 works up to Nature’s God.” We believe we shall have 
 found a more clear and positive proof of the reality of 
 an existing and actually present creation of matter, 
 than has yet been offered to mankind. 
 
 Another reason why T am led to believe that there 
 are various elaboratories established by the Creator for 
 the formation of the gases is, that it is indispensable to 
 suppose, that as there may be various gases required, 
 both for replenishing the waste of the atmospheres of 
 the planets and also oxygen and hydrogen for the 
 waste of the suns of the various systems, these gases 
 must therefore be formed and collected in separate 
 repositories, to be afterwards taken up by various 
 comets, and carried by them to their intended desti¬ 
 nation, by laws established by the Creator for their di¬ 
 rection in their courses, consistent with the safety of 
 the planetory bodies, as we shall shew shortly. Ha¬ 
 ving now stated our conception how alone an inexhaus¬ 
 tible source of supply of the combustible gases can be 
 obtained, we shall extract from Arago and Lardner’s 
 Astronomy, and from Higgins on the Earth, some ac¬ 
 count of the Comets, as far as they relate to their phy¬ 
 sical constitution and law’s of their motion. 
 
 Mullinger Higgins says, in page 54 of his Physical 
 Condition of the Earth, that “ Newton discovered that 
 comets are bodies moving in fixed orbits round the sun. 
 As soon as this philosopher had discovered the laws of 
 universal gravitation, he applied them to the determi¬ 
 nation of the motion of comets ; for having proved that, 
 according to the conditions of that force, a body might 
 describe any conic section about the sun, he conceived 
 that comets, in their apparently irregular motions, 
 might be governed by that principle. The comet of 
 1680, which approached the sun to within one-sixth of 
 its diameter, enabled him to test the truth of his con- 
 
 n2 
 
150 
 
 jecture ; and he proved that it moved in an elliptical 
 orbit of so great eccentricity that it could not be dis¬ 
 tinguished from a parabola ha ving the sun as one of its 
 foci; and that, as in the case of the planets, the areas 
 described about the sun were proportional to the times ; 
 a law discovered by the illustrious Kepler. From this 
 calculation it became evident that the comets were 
 governed by the same laws as the planetary bodies, 
 and that the orbits of the former differed from those of 
 the latter in the great elongation of their elliptical 
 paths.” And in page 56, he says, “ The calculations 
 that have been made to determine the dimensions of 
 comets prove that they are by far the largest bodies in 
 our system. The greatest length of that which ap¬ 
 peared in 1759 was sixteen million leagues; that of 
 1811, thirty-six million ; while that of 1680 was not 
 less than forty-one million leagues.” 
 
 In Arago and Lardners Astronomy, it is said, “ These 
 bodies usually are observed to rush into our systems 
 suddenly and unexpectedly from some particular quarter 
 of the universe. They first follow in a straight line, 
 or nearly so, the course by which they entered, and 
 this course is commonly directed to some point not far 
 removed from the sun.’' In the same work it is also 
 said, “ The planets move round the sun all in one direc¬ 
 tion. Comets, on the other hand, rebel against this 
 law, and move, some in one direction and some in 
 another.” Again, it is said, in page 66, same work, 
 *‘One of Newton’s conjectures respecting comets was, 
 that they are ‘the aliment by which suns are sustained 
 and he therefore concluded, that these bodies were in a 
 slate of progressive decline upon the suns, round which 
 they respectively swept; and that into these suns they 
 from time to time fell. This opinion appears to have 
 been cherished by Newton to the latest hours of his 
 life.” And in page 67 it is said, “ By far the greater 
 number of comets appear to be mere masses of vapour, 
 totally divested of all concrete or solid matter. So pre¬ 
 valent is this character, that some observers hold it to 
 be universal. Seneca mentions the fact of stars having 
 been distinctly seen through comets. A star of the 
 
151 
 
 sixth magnitude was seen through the centre of the 
 head of the comet of 1795, by Sir William Herschell.” 
 
 It is seen, then, by these extracts, that comets move 
 under fixed laws; that their course is towards and 
 round the sun ; that in general they consist merely of 
 gaseous matter ; that the opinion of that first of Astro¬ 
 nomers, Sir Isaac Newton, was, that “ they are the 
 aliment by which suns are sustained.” Comets have 
 been a fertile source of amazement and terror to man¬ 
 kind for numerous ages previous to our times. No 
 longer ago, indeed, than the year 1832, an Astronomer 
 having calculated that the comet of that year would 
 strike the earth somewhere, many of the people of 
 Paris became so alarmed, that the French Government 
 directed Mr. Arago to investigate the circumstance. 
 
 It is remarkable that, except Sir Isaac Newton’s opi¬ 
 nion, that the comets were employed in supporting the 
 waste of the sun’s fire, Astronomers have not, that I 
 have learnt, made any further researches on this point. 
 Now, as we consider by our theory, that the sun is a 
 body of gaseous matter in combustion, for the purpose 
 of heating and lighting the earth and planets, and as it # 
 is indispensable that the waste of this combustion must 
 be restored, we therefore conceive this to be the very 
 purpose of the numerous comets of our system, and of 
 those of others. We conceive that the various com¬ 
 bustible and other gases required to restore the waste 
 of the atmospheres of the planets, and also the waste 
 of the suns of the universe,—we conceive, I say, that 
 these various gases are taken up by the power of at¬ 
 traction by the comets, from the elaboratories of these 
 gases in the nebulae, (as we have stated in our theory 
 of these elaboratories), and that these comets then, di¬ 
 rected by the unerring laws of their courses, distribute 
 these gases to our sun and to the various suns of other 
 systems, thereby restoring the waste of their heat and 
 light. Now, it is a known fact in Pneumatic Che¬ 
 mistry, that neither the oxygen nor hydrogen gases'are 
 combustible, per se, that is, by themselves alone : before 
 combustion can ensue, these gases must be mixed in 
 certain proportions. In order, therefore, to ensure the 
 
152 
 
 safety of the planetary bodies, we must conceive these 
 two combustible gases to be taken up from separate 
 nebulae, some comets being charged with oxygen and 
 others with hydrogen gas, the only two primary com¬ 
 bustible gases we know of. By this separation neither 
 of them can be ignited, as they may pass the orbits of the 
 planets at the nearest approach comets have been known 
 to make to those orbits. The comets having then arrived 
 near enough to our sun and to the suns of other sys¬ 
 tems, their gaseous tails are then attracted by the draft 
 of the fire of the suns and deposited in them, thereby 
 restoring the waste of their combustion. 
 
 The following extract from Arago and Lardner’s 
 Astronomy, having been unavoidably omitted in this 
 work, and containing a great proof of that part of our 
 theory (the purposes of the comets,) which relates to 
 their taking up by attraction the masses of aqueous 
 vapour formed by the combustion of the gasses, for 
 the restoring the waste of the sun; (vide page 27, of 
 Appendix, No. IT,) we now make the present 
 Addendum. In A. and L,’s Astronomy, it is said: 
 
 “ It will doubtless excite surprise, that the dimen¬ 
 sions of a comet should be enlarged as it recedes from 
 the source of heat. It has often been observed in As¬ 
 tronomical inquiries, that the effects, which at first 
 view seemed improbable, are nevertheless those which 
 frequently prove to be true ; and so- it is in this case. 
 It was long believed that comets enlarged as they ap¬ 
 proached the sun ; and this supposed effect was natu¬ 
 rally and properly ascribed to the heat of the sun ex¬ 
 panding their dimensions. But more recent and exact 
 observations have shewn the very reverse to be the 
 fact. Comets increase their volume as they recede 
 from the sun ; and this is a law to which there appears 
 to be no well ascertained exception.’’ 
 
 Now as it is evident that our theory of the mass of 
 aqueous vapour being attracted by the comets, will 
 perfectly well account for their increase of volume on 
 receding from the sun, we therefore consider the above 
 extract as a great sanction of that part of our theory. 
 
153 
 
 We consider the extracts above given to be a power¬ 
 ful support of this theory of the comets, in which we 
 trust to have shewn how they perform the vast purpose 
 of restoring the waste of the suns ; and when we reflect 
 on the stupendous quantities of the combustible gases 
 required for it, we need no longer be surprised at the 
 millions of comets said by the Astronomers to be con¬ 
 tained in the universe ; neither, for the same reason, 
 need we doubt that the Creator may have established 
 elaboratories in some part of the regions of space, for 
 the replacing the enormous waste of the suns, either by 
 certain laws, or by His own immediate agency. 
 
 The above important purpose is not, however, the 
 only one which we humbly conceive the comets are 
 intended to perform. By the combustion of the oxygen 
 and hydrogen gases for the supply of the suns of the 
 universe, stupendous quantities of aqueous vapor must 
 be generated. Without the removal of these masses of 
 vapor, the light and heat of the sun might be in part 
 obstructed. We have therefore conceived that another 
 great purpose of the comets is, to take up (by their 
 power of attraction) and to transport these vast masses 
 of vapor into various regions of infinite space, for their 
 future condensation into oceanic waters, and in which, 
 by the same processes by which our earth was formed, 
 in the ocean of Genesis, as shewn in this w r ork, so in 
 future ages new systems of planets may be generated. 
 And to place the probability of these operations in a 
 more prominent point of view, I here subjoin a recapi¬ 
 tulation of our theory of the probable design of some 
 of the nebula), and of the real purpose of that vast 
 number of comets said by the astronomers to occupy 
 the regions of space. 
 
 In this theory it is conceived that, by the supply of 
 the gases to the suns of the systems, nature effects a 
 twofold object, namely, the supply of the waste of the 
 sun’s fire and the reproduction of other planetary bodies 
 by means of the masses of aqueous vapour produced by 
 that combustion. “ Nature,” says the immortal 
 Newton, “ could not exist without motion,” (action) 
 And the eminent Goeth6 has in his works the same 
 
154 
 
 idea. We may therefore conclude that the reproduc¬ 
 tive powers of nature are ever in action. We have 
 also reason to believe that the heavenly bodies now 
 existing are not to last for ever. “ The great globe 
 itself,” says our immortal Bard, “ shall dissolve, and, 
 like the baseless fabric of a vision, leave not a wreck 
 behind,” And, in fact, stars that have been formerly 
 well known in the heavens have now disappeared. 
 The heavenly spices, we are told by all astronomers, 
 are infinite, therefore we have a right to suppose that 
 the laws first established by the Deity are in continual 
 operation, both for replacing exhausted systems and 
 augmenting His bounty and His glory. Thus we have 
 conceived, as stated in our theory, that the stupendous 
 masses of aqueous vapours, formed by the combustion 
 of the gases for the supply of the waste of the suns, are 
 carried off by the comets from those suns into the 
 regions of space, for the purpose of being condensed 
 into oceanic waters, which, by the deposits of their 
 vegetable and animal kingdoms, will form the solid 
 parts of new planetary globes. Hence would arise the 
 conversion of these gasses into the liquid and solid 
 matter of those globes enduring many ages, and hence 
 the necessary conclusion we have drawn in the theory 
 that a present and constant act of creation is required 
 to supply the unceasing and enormous waste of those 
 gases, and hence we have conceived the existence 
 of elaboratories for this purpose in some of the nebulae 
 of the distant regions of space. Now, as all gaseous 
 matter is indispensably associated with caloric and 
 light, which probably form part of their constitution, 
 so it is highly probable these elaboratories would have 
 the exact appearance in the regions of space which the 
 nebulae are said to present to the telescope. 
 
 As to the other purpose of the comets, namely, the 
 supplying the waste of the sun’s combustion, I have 
 explained that at large in the theory thereof, and, as a 
 confirmation of its necessity, I conclude with an extract 
 from the celebrated Baron Von Humboldt’s work, 
 called “Cosmos,” confirming Arago’s discovery, of the 
 constitution of the sun, and to which discovery, as a 
 
155 
 
 Canadian born and zealous for the honour of Canada, 
 I now lay claim. It was published in the first edition 
 of my System of the Creation, in 1836, Toronto, C. W, 
 
 In vol. 1, p. 37, above work, it is said—“When Huyg- 
 hens first applied himself in 1678, to the enigma of 
 the phenomena of the polarization of light, exhibited 
 in doubly refracting spar, and observed the difference 
 between the two portions into which a beam of light 
 divides itself in passing through such a crystal, it was 
 not foreseen that through the admirable sagacity of a 
 physical philosopher of the present day, the pheno¬ 
 mena of chromatic polarization would lead us to discern, 
 by means of a minute fragment of Iceland spar, 
 whether the light of the sun proceeds from a solid neu- 
 cleus, or from a gaseous covering. 
 
 The new planet just discovered affords a strong 
 corroboration also of our theory of the sun. This 
 planet is found to be 3,695 millions of miles from the 
 sun.* Its diameter is nigh six times greater than our 
 earth ; and on reflection on the highest degree of heat 
 we receive from the sun, it seems impossible that a 
 planet at such an enormous distance could be warmed 
 and lighted unless the sun were in a state of combus¬ 
 tion through its entire diameter. 
 
 In corroboration of our theory, of the purpose of the 
 comets, I here extract some account from Arago and 
 Lardner’s Astronomy, of changes in the appearence 
 and bulk of the tails of certain comets on their receding 
 from our sun. 
 
 It is said, in the~above work, “The comet of 1759 
 was now observed in various places. It continued to 
 be seen at Dresden, also at Leipzic, Boulogne, Brus¬ 
 sels, Lisbon, Cadiz, &c. Its course being observed, 
 it was found that it arrived at its perihelion, or at its 
 nearest point to the sun, on the 13th of March, be¬ 
 tween three and four o’clock in the morning; exactly 
 thirty-seven days before the epoch first assigned by 
 Clairaut, but only twenty-three day previous to his 
 
 * Professor Olmstead says this planet is 3,600 millions of miles 
 from our earth, which would give 3,695,000,000 of miles from 
 the sun. 
 
156 
 
 corrected prediction. The comet on this occasion 
 appeared very round, with a brillant nucleus, well dis¬ 
 tinguished from the surrounding nebulosity. Jt had, 
 however, no appearance of a tail. About the middle 
 of the latter month, it became lost in the rays of the 
 sun while ajyproaching its perihelion; it afterwards 
 emerged from them on its departure from the sun, and 
 was visible before sunrise in the morning on the 1st 
 of April. On this day it was observed by Messier, who 
 states that he was able to distinguish the tail by his 
 telescope. It was again observed by him on the 3rd, 
 15th, and 17th of May. Lalande, however, who 
 observed it on the same occasions, was not able to 
 discover any trace of the tail.” 
 
 I have here to observe, that in the first account of 
 this comet given in the above work, before it had 
 arrived at its perihelion, or nearest distance from the 
 sun, it is not said it had no tail, therefore we conclude 
 it had one; but, as appears by the above extract, when 
 it had arrived, on the 13th March, at its nearest dis¬ 
 tance, it had no tail, blow, it appears to me, our the¬ 
 ory of the intended offices of comets will account for 
 these facts. The comet, on arriving at the sun, depo¬ 
 sited its gaseous matter or tail, therefore, as Lalande 
 says, “ he could not discover any trace of a tail.” 
 
 In page 64, of Arago andLardner’s Astronomy, it is 
 said, “ It had been observed, however, in the southern 
 hemisphere at Pondicherry by Pere Coeur-Doux, and at 
 the isle of Bourbon by La Caille, under more favou¬ 
 rable circumstances; and both of these astronomers 
 agree in stating that the tail was distinctly visible by 
 the naked eye, and varied in lenglit at different periods 
 from ten degrees to forty-seven degrees. These cir¬ 
 cumstances are obviously in perfect accordance with 
 the former appearances of the same body.” 
 
 Thus, at this time, it had again acquired a long tail, 
 which, I conceive, can be well accounted for, by its 
 having, between the two observations, attracted the 
 mass of aqueous vapour in the vicinity of the sun, 
 which then formed its new appendage. 
 
157 
 
 Now it is plainly visible that our theory of this part 
 of the purposes of comets will account naturally and 
 with perfect ease for the increase of their tails, by the 
 absorption by attraction of the aqueous vapours it 
 found near the sun’s atmosphere, after having deposited 
 therein the combustible gases they were previously 
 charged with. 
 
 We now conclude our extracts with one from Mr. 
 Higgins’s work to shew the vast length of the tails of 
 comets:—“The nature of comets, and the purposes they 
 serve in the system to which they belong, are almost 
 entirely unknown. No probable explanation has yet 
 been given of the character of that train of luminous 
 matter frequently appended to them, and very inap¬ 
 propriately termed the tail, since it frequently pre¬ 
 cedes the body itself. The tail is sometimes of very 
 considerable length. Aristotle states that the tail of 
 the comet that appeared in 371 A. C., occupied a third 
 of the hemisphere, or 60 ° : that of 1580 is said to have 
 covered an extent of more than 70 ° ; and that of 1618, 
 104 ° . But a tail is not a necessary appendage to a 
 comet, for some have been quite destitute, as were 
 those of 1585 and 1763 ; but there are also some that 
 have several tails ; that of 1744 had no less than six, 
 which, spreading out in the form of a fan, extended 
 over a space of nearly 30 ° . A very small condensed 
 spot has been observed in the heads of some comets, 
 but the fixed stars may be seen through the densest 
 parts of many ; and from the circumstance that none of 
 them have exhibited phases, though they undoubtedly 
 shine by reflected light, we may gather that they have 
 no claim to be considered as solid bodies, but have in 
 all probability the condition of the lightest vapour.” 
 
 Now I am in a great hopes that should my theory of 
 the purposes of the comets reach Mr. Arago’s eye, he 
 will agree, that as vast masses of vapour must be for¬ 
 med by the combustion of the gases, that these masses 
 must be attracted by the comets, and the formation of 
 their tails be the natural consequence. 
 
 The great author of the “ Cosmos” says, in page 
 106, 1st vol. “ The little knowledge which we yet 
 
 o 
 
158 
 
 possess of the physical qualities of the comets, renders 
 it difficult to separate the essential from the accidental 
 in phenomena recurring at intervals, and which have 
 been observed with more or less accuracy,” And 
 happy I should be, if our present theory of these bodies 
 should, in the opinion of that profound philosopher, 
 throw anew light on this important subject. 
 
 We have now to conclude this Sixth, and probably 
 the last, Edition of our work. We humbly conceive we 
 have, from natural results of our Svstem of the Crea- 
 tion, shewn, a high degree of probability of what may 
 be the purpose of the nebulae and cometary bodies, to 
 produce in the stupendous scale of the universe of the 
 Almighty, either by laws established by Him, or by 
 His immediate and unceasing agency; and we have 
 now only to present these efforts to the calm conside¬ 
 ration of a candid and intelligent public, and more 
 especially to the enlightened minds of scientific men, 
 being well convinced that the greater their zeal for the 
 advancement of science, and the greater their powers 
 therein, the more favourably they will receive our 
 humble attempts to advance the study and the know¬ 
 ledge of it 
 
159 
 
 SUPPLEMENT 
 TO THE SEVENTH EDITION 
 
 OF THE 
 
 SYSTEM 
 
 OF THE 
 
 CREATION OF THE GLOBE, PLANETS, 
 
 AND SUN, 
 
 CONTAINING THE EXTRA MATTER OF THE SEVENTH EDITION. 
 
 In the sixth edition of this work, in page 21 of the 
 Appendix No. 2, I shewed how the planets were at¬ 
 tracted round the sun, supposing it, according to our 
 theory (as sanctioned by the great astronomer Arago,) to 
 be a body of gas in a state of combustion. I there 
 shewed how the immortal Sir Isaac Newton 
 considered this attraction was effected, as narrated in 
 note 6th to the second edition from Good’s Book of 
 Nature. In the same part of the work, I stated my 
 belief that electricity had a great share in the ro¬ 
 tation of the planets, by “keeping the ethereal gaseous 
 medium of Newton in a constant state of motion and 
 activity, for producing the force which carries the pla¬ 
 netary bodies in their courses round the sun.” I there¬ 
 fore beg to refer the reader to those pages 20, 21, and 
 22 of that appendix, No. 2, by which he will be made 
 more clearly to comprehend the purpose of my in¬ 
 serting the following extract from the recent lecture of 
 the celebrated chemical philosopher Faraday, given in 
 London, (England.) In “ Chambers’ Edinburgh 
 Journal ” of April 18, 1846, is the following article— 
 Professor Faraday’s Further Reserchesin Magnetism:” 
 
 “In No. 114 of the present series of the Journal, we 
 give a brief report of Mr. Faraday’s lecture on the rela¬ 
 tions of light and magnetism. Since its delivery, he 
 has explained away a misapprehension existing in the 
 
160 
 
 minds of many persons as to his experiments, which it 
 was imagined were meant to prove that the lumin- 
 ousness of a ray of light is due to magnetism. The 
 truth, however, resolves itself simply into this ; that, 
 regardless of any of .the existing theories on the nature 
 of light, whatever is magnetic in a ray only has been 
 effected ; the line of magnetic force was illuminated by 
 the ray of light used in the experiment, as the earth is 
 illuminated by the sun: there was no creation oj light ; 
 the ray was required to shew that light in common 
 with ponderable matter, is acted on by magnetism.* 
 
 “ A second lecture was delivered by Mr. Faraday, at 
 the beginning of March, ‘On the new magnetic actions 
 and on the magnetic condition of all matter.’—So great 
 was the interest excited by the announcement of the 
 subject, that the entrance-hall of the institution was 
 thronged, long before the hour of admission, by a dense 
 body of individuals from among the most scientific 
 classes,who afterwards filled the theatre to overflowing, 
 many being unable to obtain seats. It was impos 
 sible to look round on the intellectual-looking assembly, 
 without being struck with the reflection that they had 
 met to do homage to some of the highest truths of 
 science. 
 
 “ Punctual to the hour, the lecturer made his appear¬ 
 ance, and observing that he would not waste time* in 
 idle regrets that a portion of the audience was unable 
 to find accommodation, proceeded to the discussion of the 
 subject. The apparatus used on this occasion was the 
 same as at the former lecture, with a little difference of 
 arrangement. The helix stood perpendicularly on the 
 floor, connected as before by wires with the electro- 
 galvanic battery ; and the large horse-shoe magnet was 
 placed so that the two poles only were seen rising 
 through openings to a level with the surface of the table 
 in front of the operator, who by this arrangement, had 
 the great power of the apparatus completely under 
 command, while it afforded the best means of exhibi- 
 
 * This shows that Faraday does not consider light and magnetism 
 as the same thing. 
 
161 
 
 ting the effects. A few experiments were made to 
 display the energy of the magnetic force, with less than 
 which, the lecturer observed, it would be in vain to 
 look for the phenomena. He succeeded in shewing, 
 with a quantity of iron nails, the line of force passing 
 from one pole of the magnet to the other ; along this 
 curve they were seen clinging to each other, and des¬ 
 cribing a regular arch several inches in length and 
 height; which position they retained until, on break¬ 
 ing communication with the battery, thay instantly fell 
 in a confused heap to the table. 
 
 “ Mr Faraday next adverted to the popular ideas of 
 magnetism with regard to iron and some other metals, 
 which point freely north and south, and explained the 
 importance of showing the relation of the power he 
 employed to common magnetism. A small bar of iron 
 was suspended by a thread to move freely in the line of 
 force between the poles, and, on charging the magnet, 
 the bar was seen to obey the natural law by pointing 
 north and south, in a line from one pole to the other, 
 or what the lecturer terms the axial line. This simple 
 experiment was necessary to enable the audience to 
 understand the allusions to the axial line iri the subse¬ 
 quent portion of the lecture. Among the metals, 
 nickel, cobalt, platinum, palladium, titanium, and a few 
 others possessed of the same property, are classed as 
 magnetics. 
 
 “ The power here afforded for testing the magnetism 
 of all substances, was noticed and exemplified by sus¬ 
 pending, in the place of the iron, a small bar of copper, 
 which was found to be neither attracted or repelled, 
 remaining, with the exception of some very feeble ma¬ 
 nifestations, indifferent to either position.—A piece of 
 paper was also tried, and, after some vibrations, proved 
 to be magnetic, by remaining stationary in the axial 
 line. 
 
 “ Mr. Faraday then recalled to the memory of his 
 hearers the experiment of his former lecture, shewing 
 the peculiar action of glass on light. On that occasion 
 the piece of glass, through which the magnetism found 
 its way as readily as though no substance intervened, 
 o2 
 
162 
 
 was named a diamagnetic; and it was to the testing of 
 this peculiar property that the subsequent experiments 
 were directed. To insure a satisfactory result, more 
 than ordinary care and delicacy were required in the 
 manipulation. Threads of cocoon silk, free from tor¬ 
 sion, were used as the suspending medium, bearing at 
 their extremity a small stirrup of non-magnetic paper, 
 in which was laid the substance forming the subject of 
 the experiment, and the whole was hung inside a glass 
 chamber, to protect it from currents of air. On pla¬ 
 cing a small bar of the heavy glass in the stirrup, 
 instead of pointing north and south, it took up a direc¬ 
 tly contrary direction east and west, or what the 
 lecturer termed the equatorial, in contradistinction to 
 the axial line ; describing it, further as ‘ a tendency of 
 the particles to move outwards, or into the position of 
 weakest magnetic action,’ the whole of the particles 
 being jointly exercised in producing the effect. 
 
 “ Of all the metals, bismuth is found to be the most 
 energetic diamagnetic; and to show that such subs¬ 
 tances are repelled by either pole of the magnet, a 
 long glass tube, balanced horizontally, was charged 
 with a piece of the metal, at the end within the line 
 of force ; at the other end a piece of coloured paper 
 was fixed, which, by the sweeping arcs it described, 
 demonstrated the repelling power of the two poles as 
 the piece of bismuth was alternately brought within 
 their influence. Sufficient care was taken to shew 
 that this is not an accidental, but a constant result in 
 the numerous substances which have been put to the 
 test of experiment, among which were phosphorus and 
 water; the latter constituting nine-tenths of nature, 
 may play a most important part as a diamagnetic. All 
 natural substances are affected one way or the other, 
 either magnetically or diamagnetically. A slice of 
 apple cut with a silver knife, a piece of wood, beef, 
 bread, and a thousand other objects—a man, even 
 could he be suspended with the requisite delicacy— 
 all would point east and west, or in the equatorial line. 
 They are all acted on by magnetism, though not 
 magnetic, as iron. 
 
163 
 
 t( Some curious facts came out with regard to gases, 
 which appear to fill a place, as yet unoccupied by any 
 other substance, between the magnetics and the dia- 
 magnetics. Whether dense or rare, the phenomena 
 produced are the same ; from which it has been in¬ 
 ferred ( that air must have a great and perhaps an 
 active part to play in the physical and terrestrial arran¬ 
 gement of magnetic forces .’ 5 
 
 “ The general sum of the experiments may be best 
 given in a quotation from Mr. Faraday’s published 
 observations on the subject:—• 
 
 “ Having arrived at this point, I may observe that 
 we can now have no difficulty in admitting that the 
 phenomena abundantly establish the existence of a 
 magnetic property in matter, new to our knowledge.. 
 
 . .All the phenomena resolve themselves into this, that 
 a portion of such matter, when under megnetic action, 
 tends to move from stronger to weaker places or points 
 of force... .This condition and effect is new, not only 
 as it respects the exertion of power by a magnet over 
 bodies previously supposed to be indifferent to its in¬ 
 fluence, but is new as a magnetic action, presenting us 
 with a second mode in which the magnetic power can 
 exert its influence... .All matter appears to be subject 
 to the magnetic force as universally as it is to the gra¬ 
 vitating, f arranging itself ’ into two great divisions— 
 the magnetic, and that which I have called the dia¬ 
 magnetic class 5 and between these classes the contrast 
 is so great and direct though varying in degree, that 
 where a substance from the one class will be attracted, 
 a body from the other will be repelled. 
 
 “ Mr. Farady considers that the use of this power 
 will eventually be developed. "It cannot for a moment 
 be supposed that being given to natural bodies, it is 
 either superfluous, or insufficient, or unnecessary. .. 
 It doubtless has its appointed office, and that, one 
 which relates to the whole mass of the globe ; and it is 
 probably because of its relation to the whole earth, that 
 its amount is necessarily so small, so to speak, in the 
 portions of matter which we handle and subject to ex¬ 
 periment. . Matter cannot thus be affected by the mag- 
 
164 
 
 ' netic forces, without being itself concerned in the phe- 
 nomenon, and exerting in turn a due amount of influ¬ 
 ence upon the magnetic force.. .When we consider the 
 magnetic condition of the earth as a whole, without re¬ 
 ference to its possible relation to the sun, and reflect 
 upon the enormous amount of diamagnetic matters 
 which, to our knowledge, forms its crust; and when 
 we remember that magnetic curves of a certain amount 
 of force, and universal in their presence, are passing 
 through these matters, and keep them constantly in a 
 state of tension, and therefore of action, which I hope 
 successfully to have developed, we cannot doubt but 
 that some great purpose of utility to the system, and to 
 us its inhabitants, is thereby fulfilled, which now we 
 shall have the pleasure of searching out....If one 
 might speculate upon the effect of the whole system of 
 curves upon very large masses and these masses were 
 in plates or rings, then they would, according to 
 analogy with the magnetic field, place themselves 
 equatorially. If Saturn were a magnet, as the earth 
 is, and his ring composed of diamagnetic substances, 
 the tendency of the magnetic forces would be to place 
 it in the position which it actually has. 
 
 " It is a curious sight to see a piece of wood, or of 
 beef, or an apple, or a bottle of water, repelled by a 
 magnet; or taking the leaf of a tree, and hanging it up 
 between the poles, to observe it take an equatorial po¬ 
 sition, Whether any similar effects occur in nature 
 among the myriads of forms which, upon all parts of 
 its surface, are surrounded by air, and are subject to 
 the action of lines of magnetic force, is a question 
 which can only be answered by future observation. 
 
 “ The lecture which occupied nearly two hours in 
 the delivery, was listened to throughout with undivided 
 attention bv the auditory, who a# the close, manifested 
 their pleasure in loud and enthusiastic plaudits. We 
 cannot conclude our notice better than in professor Fa¬ 
 raday’s own words :—It will be better to occupy both 
 time and thought, aided by experiment, in the investi¬ 
 gation and development of real truth, than to use them 
 
105 
 
 in the invention of suppositions which may or may not 
 be founded on, or consistent with, fact.” 
 
 Having referred the reader to the Appendix No. 2, 
 he will now understand the purport of the foregoing 
 extract, which we consider as a strong support and sanc¬ 
 tion of the idea stated in that Appendix, namely, “ that 
 electricity has a great share in effecting the rotation of 
 the planets round the sun.” 
 
 “ If Saturn,” says the Professor, “ were a magnet, 
 as the earth is, and his ring composed of diamagnetic 
 matter, the tendency of the magnetic forces would be 
 to place it in the position which it actually has.” 
 
 The immortal Newton made the discovery of the 
 great principle of the attraction of the heavenly bodies, 
 which has so excited the admiration of mankind. He 
 was at that time of opinion, that our sun w r as a body of 
 fire, but it was only in his later writings that he gave 
 his opinion by what physical forces this attraction was 
 effected, which we have shewn in note 2, to our second 
 edition, from “ Good’s Cook of Nature ;” and our idea 
 of electricity being employed for that effect, is now 
 strongly corroborated by the above extract from Fara¬ 
 day’s lecture. By that lecture it appears, that all the 
 bodies of matter on our earth, except a few of the 
 metals, &c., are diamagnetics, that is, are attracted 
 east and west. That being the case we have the stron¬ 
 gest analogy for believing that it is the same with the 
 other planets. Now, east and west is the very course 
 which the planets take in their orbitual rotation round 
 the sun; and knowing that electro-magnetic currents 
 are flowing continually over our earth, oceans, and 
 atmosphere, we have every reason from analogy to 
 believe, that electricity is the grand agent of nature, 
 acting upon the gaseous elastic medium of space, to 
 produce this rotation of the earth and planets. I there¬ 
 fore feel happy in being able, in this edition of my 
 work, to present the reader with so important a corro¬ 
 boration of the above idea of the rotation of the earth 
 and planets, as is shewn in this lecture of the eminent 
 Professor Faraday. 
 
166 
 
 Since the publication of the sixth edition of my 
 System of the Creation, I have fallen in with a work, 
 entitled A New Philosophy of Matter/’ published by 
 Crocker and Brewster, Boston, and George Brewster, 
 Adrian, 1843. In my sixth edition pages 16 and 18, 
 of the Appendix No. 2,1 noticed “ a few theories of 
 the sun, which have been presented to the world: ” 
 amongst these, there was one theory founded “ on the 
 idea that our sun’s heat and light are produced by 
 electricity.” To this notice (writing of course before 
 I knew of Mr. Brewster’s work,) I beg leave to refer 
 the reader, for as the “ New Phylosophy of Matter,” 
 is also founded on the idea that our sun’s heat and 
 light are owing to its electricity, but without shewing 
 what this electricity is generated from, I now propose 
 to make some observations on that and other parts of 
 the work. 
 
 I must commence with paying a well-merited compli¬ 
 ment to the style, energetic boldness of thought, and 
 talent, of this author. His idea that “ each ulimate 
 particle of the electricity that makes a bar of steel 
 magnetic and keeps it magnetic, has opposite polarities, 
 as well as the whole current,” appears to me very 
 ingenious and well supported. But, in his endeavours 
 to solve the difficulties which perplexed Dr. Franklin,— 
 " the repulsion of two negatives,” the author makes 
 an assertion which much surprised me, namely,—“ that 
 motion is never produced in ponderable matter, by the 
 mere force of moving currents of electricity.’’ How 
 then is it, that the terrific effects of those currents 
 (which he has so well described in another part of 
 his work,) are produced P I have witnessed these 
 effects myself. I have seen a pine tree rent asunder 
 and shattered into fragments by lightning; and the 
 direful effects of those currents on ponderable matter 
 is universally known. The cause of lightning in its 
 descent to the earth, may depend on polarity; but that 
 it has no effect on the ponderable matter which obstructs 
 that descent, appears to me an unaccountable assertion. 
 Again, this author adds:— ,£ If this were the case, (if 
 motion in ponderable matter were produced by elec- 
 
167 
 
 tricity,) our earth would have been instantaneously 
 battered into atoms by the light which first struck it 
 from the sun. It is plain that the author here con¬ 
 siders light and electricity as one and the same body, 
 according to the theory of his work, but the fact which 
 he states, that light from the sun does not” batter the 
 earth to atoms,” is a clear proof that light is not elec¬ 
 tricity, nor electricity light; for we all know that the 
 electric fluid produces the most destructive effects 
 wherever it impinges; while light, as is proved in 
 Arago and Lardner’s Astronomy, has no impulsive 
 power whatever; and we shall have more to say on 
 this subject as we examine other parts of the work. 
 
 In page 67 and 70, the author gives an ingenious 
 theory of the formation of acid and alkaline tastes on the 
 tongue, which he believes are produced by electricity. 
 
 It is possible, indeed, that this theory may be founded 
 in nature ; but it must be observed, that the saliva 
 contains various salts in solution. May not the posi¬ 
 tive current decompose most or all of these salts, and 
 thus produce an acid taste ; and may not the negative 
 current be able to decompose only a certain number 
 of these salts, and so produce an alkaline taste ? for it is 
 well known that electricity will decompose saline sub¬ 
 stances. In his endeavours to account for oxygen gas 
 going to the positive pole, supposing it to be itself 
 positive, as he does, I think this author has totally failed 
 He considers oxygen gas to be electricity itself 
 formed, as he says, by the positive electricity taking up 
 a certain “incasement of watery particles,” which 
 gives it the appearance of gas; but he must have 
 forgotten that positive electricity decomposes water, 
 therefore, such incasement could not exist. His error 
 probably lies in not believing oxygen gas can be nega¬ 
 tive, and at the same time support combustion; but ac¬ 
 cording to the hitherto received theory of Lavoisier, 
 combustion is nothing but an affinity of the combustible 
 body for the oxygen of the oxygen gas with which it 
 combines; and the heat and light that kept it in a 
 gaseous state is evolved. Now, this heat and light 
 would be evolved, whether the oxygen gas were posi- 
 
168 
 
 live or negative; it is merely a consequence of this 
 gas being in a highly rarified state, and of course evolv¬ 
 ing much heat and light, while the base of the gas is 
 combining with the combustible body. 
 
 This author has fallen into the same error with re¬ 
 spect to hydrogen gas. He states, “ that it is not in¬ 
 flammable at all, and goes on to shew, that “ if a light¬ 
 ed candle be inserted in a jar of hydrogen, it will be 
 extinguished,” which is true enough ; but no body in 
 nature will burn or be inflammable, without the access 
 to it of air or oxygen, to set free their heat and light; 
 for oxygen itself will not burn by itself —it is not in¬ 
 flammable, it is merely the supporter of the combustion 
 of combustible bodies, by the mode above shewn, when 
 in contact with them. The author subsequently at¬ 
 tempts to account for the combustion of hydrogen in 
 air, or oxygen gas, by opposite electricities; but as I 
 conceive I have shewn that his theory of the nature of 
 oxygen gas is untenable, and as oxygen gas goes con¬ 
 stantly to the positive -pole, I cannot concede to his 
 explanation of this cause of the combustion. 
 
 In page 162 of his work, Mr. Brewster very candid¬ 
 ly states, that if any person is prepared in any other 
 plausible or rational way than that of his theory, to ac¬ 
 count for the otherwise unavoidable waste of the sun, 
 he will willingly become a learner, &c. I am now 
 preparing for the press this seventh edition of my work, 
 called a “ System of the Creation of our Glode, Planets, 
 and Sun and I, with humility, shall be happy to 
 present Mr. Brewster with a copy, should an oppor¬ 
 tunity offer. In this work I trust to have shewn the 
 great probability that our sun was originally formed by 
 the cembustion of the gases of oxygen and hydrogen, 
 which must have taken place at the formation of the 
 waters or ocean of Genesis. 1 have presumed that the 
 Deity could not have applied to a more needful pur¬ 
 pose a part of the stupendous quantity of heat and light 
 which must have been evolved by that combustion, 
 than the concentration of that heat and light to form a 
 sun for our system. In page 10 of the Appendix No. 
 2 to the work, it will be seen that the great astronomer 
 
169 
 
 Arago has sanctioned this theory of the Sun. After 
 having proved to mathematical demonstration, as Dr. 
 Lardner says (as shewn in page 129 of this Appendix,) 
 
 “ that the atmosphere of the sun is an ocean of flame,” 
 Arago, from subsequent experiments concludes, “ that 
 the sun is nothing but a grand mass of gas agglomerat¬ 
 ed in space.” Now, with respect to “ accounting for 
 the unavoidable waste of the sun,” I have to say, that 
 Sir Isaac Newton, with the same wonderful sagacity 
 with which he foretold the combustibility of the dia¬ 
 mond, suggested that comets were employed in 
 restoring the waste of the light and heat of the sun. 
 It was known probably in his time, that the courses of 
 the comets generally were towards the sun; and 
 since the discovery by Professor Black and others, of 
 the gaseous sciences, it has been shewn that the enor¬ 
 mous tails of the comets, some of them near fifty mil¬ 
 lions of miles long, are gaseous; I have therefore 
 adopted this idea of Newton in my theory of the sun, 
 and believe that it will naturally “ account for the sup¬ 
 ply of the unavoidable waste of the suns material.” 
 
 Mr. Brewster’s idea that the light returns to the sun, 
 reminds me of Buffon’s theory, that the earth and pla¬ 
 nets were struck off from the sun by the stroke of a 
 comet, which theory has been long disproved by the 
 astronomical fact, “ that if that were the case, they 
 must return to the sun in every revolution ; so this idea 
 of light returning to the sun after leaving its heat with 
 the earth and planets, which it must do, forms a very 
 insufficient cause for restoring the waste of heat in the 
 sun. Besides this, must not two counter currents of 
 light mutually oppose and retard each other'? I submit, 
 therefore, to the candid sagacity of the author of the 
 “ New Philosophy of Matter,” whether there be any 
 necessity to refer to that theory, when the known fact 
 of the gaseous tails of the comets rushing continually to 
 the sun, and as Sir John Herchell says, “ millions of 
 them depositing their tails there,” is not ample evi¬ 
 dence of their purpose being to restore the w T aste of his 
 heat and light. With respect, to this author’s ques¬ 
 tion, “ What becomes of the light, if it does not return 
 
 p 
 
170 
 
 to the sun? ” I answer, light is known to enter into 
 combination with almost all bodies on the earth, and 
 by analogy, on the planets also. It changes the colours 
 of all bodies, and probably by some unknown process 
 of nature, assumes in them a liquid or a solid state. 
 The lately discovered Daguerreotype is a proof of this ; 
 the rays of light from the countenance fall on a plate 
 coated with icdine, or other chemical mixture, and the 
 impression of the countenance is embodied and solidi¬ 
 fied in it: now, light is supposed to be imponderable, 
 but I believe that is only supposed, because we have 
 no means of weighing it ; for a grain of light may per¬ 
 haps be enough to fill a house. What an immensely 
 small space, then, light must require when entering 
 into combination with, and becoming absorbed by the 
 liquid and solid bodies on the earth, planets and their 
 satellites, their oceans and atmospheres, and assuming 
 the liquid or solid state. To shew the immense tenuity 
 of light, I will state, that Sir Isaac Newton calculated 
 that even the tail of a comet, forty or fifty millions of 
 miles long, might, if, solidified, be almost comprised in 
 a nutshell. 
 
 In page 73, the author says, “ Heat is only light in 
 a state of diffusion. This is proved by the fact, that if 
 you condense it sufficiently, you make it light.” But 
 the effect of heating anything is not to condense it, but 
 to rarify it. The author falls into the same error here 
 as in the case of hydrogen and oxygen above stated. 
 He supposes the light to come from the heated iron, 
 whereas it is produced by heating it to that degree at 
 which the iron absorbs the oxygen from the atmos¬ 
 phere, and sets free its light and heat. To prove this, 
 if the author analyzes the external scales of the heated 
 iron, he will find them to contain a calx or oxyde of 
 iron, by the absorption of the oxygen from the atmos¬ 
 phere. Moreover, if light were only heat condensed, 
 how is it that the light of the moon gives no heat at all 
 to the most delicate thermometer * So also when the 
 current is stopped in the telegraph offices, the current 
 probably absords oxygen from the air, and a spark is 
 produced by the decomposition of that oxygen. 
 
 * See page 143, Extract from Arago and Lardner’s Astronomy. 
 
In page 194, the'author, although he has all along 
 contended that heat, or caloric, and light are identical 
 with electricity here avows that “the essence of electricity 
 he never attempted nor proposed to explain. 55 There 
 is, then, something more in electricity than either 
 heat or light, by his own account of it. 
 
 In the sixth edition of my work, in page 44 of this 
 Appendix No. 2, I have given my idea of electricity, 
 namely, 55 that it consists of heat and light combined 
 together in some unknown and unique manner; and 
 that the energv and violence of its effects are occasioned 
 by the mutual expansive efforts of the heat and light 
 to disengage themselves. 55 In fact, I conceived that 
 latent electricity exists in bodies in a condensed state; 
 for we now know, that some of the gases (the car¬ 
 bonic acid, for instance,) can be condensed by pressure 
 to a solid state, but its energy and power to recover 
 the gaseous state are so great, that when the pressure 
 was removed, as shewn by Professor Leibig, in his 
 “ Familiar Letters, 55 —“ it burst the condensing 
 apparatus, and killed the operator: 5 ’ so 1 conceived it 
 might be the case with condensed heat and light in 
 electricity. I must acknowledge, however, that on 
 contemplating the action of electricity in the telegraph 
 wires, I am much inclined to believe, that there is 
 some much more energeticallly powerful ingredient in 
 electricity, than either heat or light; some gaseous 
 power of such vehement action, that it has eluded as 
 yet our discovery, forming perhaps, what Mr. Brewster 
 calls its “ essence; 5 ’ and I conceive there is no 
 greater proof that electricity is not heat and light alone 
 than its amazing velocity on these wires. What 
 progress, in fact, would heat and light alone applied in 
 any degree to these wires, be able to make, perhaps 
 not ten miles in an hour, while electricity goes, perhaps, 
 five hundred miles in a minute or much more. 
 
 In page 150.of the “ New Philosophy,” the author 
 states that, from certain analogies he has brought for¬ 
 ward, he infers, “ that no creation of materials is 
 progressing to supply the waste of the sun. 55 In page 
 
172 
 
 146 of the Appendix No. 2 to the seventh edition of our 
 System of the Creation, I have said : 
 
 “I have therefore come to the conclusion, as is stated 
 above, that there must be elaboratories for the forma¬ 
 tion of the gases required, in which elaboratories a 
 constant act of creation of the elementary matter of 
 those gases would be indispensable, to supply the 
 unceasing and stupendous waste. If, therefore, our 
 theory of the sun continue to be substantiated fand, 
 as will be shortly shewn, the planet lately discovered 
 offers a strong confirmation of it,) and as nothing short 
 •of a direct act of creation could produce a supply of 
 gaseous matter for all the suns of the universe, we 
 must refer to such an act of creation for that supply, 
 and we trust we shall indeed thereby lead our readers 
 * l through Nature’s works, up to Nature’s God.’’ We 
 believe we shall have found a more clear and positive 
 proof of the reality of an existing and actually present 
 creation of matter, than has yet been offered to man¬ 
 kind.” 
 
 In the same page, I have stated my reasons for com¬ 
 ing to this conclusion ; and in page 151 of said Appen¬ 
 dix, the reader will see a recapitulation of our theory 
 of the probable design of some of the nebuke in these 
 distant regions of space, and of the real purposes of the 
 vast number of comets said by the astronomers to oc¬ 
 cupy these regions of space. It will be then seen, 
 that the oxygen and hydrogen gases thus conveyed to 
 the sun to restore its waste are by this combustion * 
 transformed into aqueous vapour, and we conceive it to 
 be a two-fold purpose of the comets on their return, to 
 carry off by their power of attraction this aqueous 
 vapor into distant regions of space, to be afterwards 
 condensed into oceans, for the purpose of forming new 
 planetary bodies, just as our earth was formed in the 
 ocean of Genesis. Hence the gaseous matter convey¬ 
 ed by these comets would be ultimately changed into 
 the liquid and solid bodies of these new planets ; hence 
 the original stock of gaseous matter, however immense, 
 would be in time consumed; and hence we concluded 
 
173 
 
 that a constant new creation of the elementary matter 
 of these gases must be continually going on. 
 
 The author of the “New Philosophy,” considers 
 “that the supposition of a new creation to supply any 
 deficiency would be derogatory to the skill of the great 
 architect.” I, on the contrary, conceive it would be 
 greatly adding to our conceptions of his omnipotence 
 and glory. “Nature” say Shakespeare and Goethe, 
 “could not exist without action.’’ The astronomers 
 tell us that old stars have disappeared from the heavens, 
 and new ones have been discovered. He who created 
 one world, can, without doubt, create millions ; and we 
 have reason to believe the benevolence, wisdom and 
 power of the Diety is not circumscribed, while there is 
 infinite space for their exertion, thereby to be replen¬ 
 ished with life and animation, enjoyment and happiness. 
 Now, the gaseous matter supplied, being converted 
 into the liquid and solid matter of the new planetary 
 bodies created, we therefore humbly conceive that the 
 creation of elementary mattery for the supply of the 
 waste of the stars or suns (as they are allowed to be 
 by all astronomers,) of the universe, is proceeding at 
 this moment as it was at the time of the creation of our . 
 system. 
 
 In page 204, Mr. Brewster states a theory, by which 
 the earth and planets are carried round the sun. This 
 movement he considers is done by the power of elec¬ 
 tricity. In the Appendix No. 2, to our sixth edi¬ 
 tion of the System of the Creation, I stated that— 
 “ In addition to the strong arguments employed by 
 Newton himself, (which will be seen in note 6, second 
 edition, containing his explanation of gravitation by 
 means of the elastic gaseous medium), I have to state 
 that it is known that electricity pervades almost all na¬ 
 ture. Our atmosphere, our earth, and all water, es¬ 
 pecially when in a vaporized state, are charged with 
 the electric fluid. Our earth is pervaded by magnetic 
 and electric currents ; and what I wish now to state, 
 therefore, in addition to Sir Isaac Newton’s argument, 
 on the ethereal gaseous medium, is, that I conceive that 
 medium, is also excited to motion by the electric fluid. 
 5*2 
 
J74 
 
 I believe that this electric fluid is a most potent agent 
 of nature, by which she keeps the ethereal gaseous me¬ 
 dium in a constant state of motion and activity, for pro¬ 
 ducing the force which carries the planetary bodies in 
 their courses round the sun ; and I believe this is the 
 very purpose for which this ethereal electric medium 
 exists in space. 5 ’ 
 
 In this very important part of his work, I have then 
 the pleasure of partly agreeing with him ; for although 
 our theory of the sun goes to shew that the enormous 
 waste of his light and heat is restored by the oxygen 
 and hydrogen gases brought to his vicinity by the co¬ 
 mets ; still, we are well aware, that both positive and 
 negative electricity are evolved in the combustion of 
 those gases, and, most probably, that is the mode by 
 which a sufficient quantity of electric fluid is furnished 
 to the system, which electricity, acting upon the gase¬ 
 ous medium of Sir Isaac Newton, produces sufficient 
 force to carry the earth and planets in their revolutions 
 round the sun; and I should conceive that to effect this 
 purpose, there are two currents of electricity employed 
 by nature, one forcing the earth and planets in a right 
 line, corresponding with the projectile force, and the 
 other operating upon the planets in a sidelong direction 
 ninety degrees to the northward of the right line cur¬ 
 rent, both which currents, operating upon the surround¬ 
 ing gaseous medium, would, I humbly conceive, pro¬ 
 duce ample force to carry the planets in their present 
 orbits round the sun. 
 
 While we agree, then, that electricity is a very pow¬ 
 erful agent of nature in carrying the earth and planets 
 in their orbits round the sun, we have, in conclusion 
 to observe, on the “ New Philosophy of Matter, 55 that 
 although the author of that work derives his electricity 
 from the sun, his theory does not show how that elec¬ 
 tricity is formed there, whereas, our theory shows it to, 
 be produced from the combustion of the gases that are 
 supplied by the comets to restore the sun’s waste. 
 
EXTRA MATTER FOR THE EIGHTH 
 EDITION OF THIS WORE, 
 
 Since the publication of the seventh edition no new 
 discoveries that I know of have yet been published 
 relating to the theory of the work, except in an article 
 from tiie London Athenceurn Which we give below. 
 
 In the fourth edition in pages 2 and 3, of the Ap¬ 
 pendix No. 2, is stated, Dr. Lardner’s account of the 
 confirmation of our theory of the sun, wherein he says 
 “ The conclusion,” &c. (Vide Appendix No. 2,) down 
 to “ ocean of flame.” In a work called “ A Sketch of 
 Conspicuous Characters living in France,” it is stated, 
 under the article, “ Life of Arago,” “ Subjecting thus,” 
 see Appendix No, 2, down to end of paragraph. 
 
 Now it is certainly matter of surprise to me, that 
 when such an important change in the theory of the 
 sun is made by such an astronomer as M. Arago, and 
 when, more particularly in his “ Scientific Notices on 
 Comets,” he gives an entirely new account of the cause 
 of the spots on the sun, corroborating our theory of 
 these spots. See Appendix No. 2, page 126, from “ The 
 rapid changes, &c., down to end of paragraph. I say 
 therefore, that as these opinions of so eminent an astro¬ 
 nomer have not yet produced any observations on the 
 subject by astronomers, it would then seem that they 
 have agreed to their results. The same may be said 
 respecting any later publication of what Lord Ross has 
 been doing for many months with that wonderful teles¬ 
 cope, which has so much excited the admiration and 
 expectation of mankind. To account however for this 
 .delay, I have been informed that that telescope cannot 
 be employed with effect except in very bright states of 
 the atmosphere, which seldom occur, and also that his 
 Lordship is employed in extending his discoveries on 
 the resolving of the nebulae into stars, or rather suns 
 as all astronomers now allow them to be. 
 
 In the absence then, of any late discoveries bearing 
 particularly on our theory of the Earth, Planets and 
 Sun of our System, we have however in this eighth 
 
176 
 
 edition, to state, from Professor Loumis's work on u The 
 Recent Astronomy,” an extract which is sufficient to 
 astonish even the modern astronomer, and to predict the 
 astounding discoveries which are perhaps yet reserved 
 for that science, viz : 
 
 “ Alcyone is the most prominent of the pleiades, as 
 the centre around which our sun is revolving, and he 
 calls it the central sun of the great system. 
 
 “ This is partially corroborated by the fact that the 
 most palpable and greatest of the real motions of the 
 fixed stars, are found in a “ great circle described about 
 the pleiades as a pole,” the very place where such must 
 occur. 
 
 “ But the astounding wonders are now to come- 
 Professor Madler computes the distance of Alcyone to 
 be “ thirty-four millions of times that of the sun (from 
 the earth,) requiring 537 years for its light to come to 
 us, at the rate of 200,000 miles a second, or of twelve 
 millions of miles per minute. If this be so, the periodic 
 time of the sun, and of our system, about Alcyone is 
 estimated at eighteen millions of years.” 
 
 “ For enlargement of human conceptions, this is 
 magnificent enough. Should it not all prove to be an 
 approximation to the truth, the world will see in it the 
 heavings and aspirations of the astronomical spirit.” 
 
 The distances and magnitudes of the remote hea- 
 venly bodies are indeed so immense, as stated in astro¬ 
 nomy, and particularly modern astronomy, that the 
 minds of many cannot overcome their doubts on the 
 subject; and certainly if there were only a few astro¬ 
 nomers who had come to these conclusions these doubts 
 might be justifiable ; but when wie find such numbers 
 of these astronomers recorded in the history of the 
 science who have all been narrowly watching to detect 
 the slightest errors in each others calculations and 
 statements, and when we find all nearly agreeing in 
 the same results, we can no longer doubt that the 
 results themselves, and the basis on which they have 
 been begun and finished, must be correctly founded in 
 nature. 
 
177 
 
 
 In our Appendix No. 2, we have stated our idea how 
 the stupendous quantities of the gases required for the 
 supply of the waste of the combustion of our sun and 
 of the suns of the other systems of the universe may be 
 replaced by elaboratories of these gases appointed by 
 the Creator in the distant regions of space. 
 
 The immortal Sir Isaac Newton was of opinion that 
 the comets were intended to supply the waste of the 
 sun’s combustion,—in Sir Isaac's time the knowledge 
 of the existence of gaseous matter was hardly known, 
 but it is now known that the tails of comets, some of 
 which are 120 millions of miles long, are formed of 
 gaseous matter; they all make for the sun, from 
 whatever part of the heavens they come, and it ap¬ 
 pears by Lardner and Arago’s astronomy, (vide our 
 Addendum page 152 “ that comets increase their volume 
 as they recede from the sun, and this is a law to which 
 there is no well-ascertained exception.” 
 
 By our theory of the conbustion of the oxygen and 
 hydrogen gases brought by the comets to the sun for 
 the purpose of supplying his waste, the cause of these 
 changes in the tails of the comets on receding from the 
 sun, is accounted for, by the attraction and carrying off 
 from the sun the aquegaseous vapors formed by the 
 combustion of these gases for the above purposes. 
 
 Nowit appears to me that the opinion of Newton, as 
 to these purposes of the comets, will be found to be 
 equally correct as was his surprising assertion that ‘‘the 
 diamond was combustible” now fully proved by galvanic 
 power. These immense volumes of gaseous matter 
 carried through the heavens by the comets must be de¬ 
 signed for some vast purpose. They all go to the sun, 
 and for what more likely purpose could that be, than to 
 supply the waste of combustion ? Accordingly, Sir John 
 Herscliell states in his astronomy, in speaking of the 
 zodiacal light “that the tails of millions of comets slowly 
 subside into the sun. 5 ’ Taking then this theory to be 
 sufficiently substantiated, the next question is where 
 do these immense bodies of the gases come from, where 
 
178 
 
 If are they generated and taken up by the comets? 
 they go to supply the waste of the suns of the universe 
 they must of course be combustible, and they cannot be 
 supposed to exist in the regions of infinite space in a 
 mixed state, for in that case, the oxygen and hydrogen 
 would be always liable to be ignited by the electric 
 fluid. But we know that neither of these gases is 
 combustible by itself; therefore we concluded in our 
 theory that they mhst be generated or created in sepa¬ 
 rate elaboraties in some parts of that space and con¬ 
 veyed to the sun by separate comets. Now some of 
 the 2000 nebulae discovered and catalogued by the 
 Herschells have been resolved into stars by themselves, 
 and more lately by Lord Ross, in Orion, but the num¬ 
 bers of these nebulas are so great, their shapes and ap¬ 
 pearances so gaseous, that therefore we concluded as 
 shewn in Appendix No. 2 page 154. Again, where can 
 we look more reasonably, for the sources of supply of 
 these stupendous quantities of gaseous matter to be 
 generated, than in these distant nebulosities which 
 present to view such gaseous appearances under the 
 telescope ? The comets are known to enter our sys¬ 
 tem from all parts of the heavens; and in passing by 
 or through these nebulae, it may well be conceived 
 they would take up these gaseous tails by attractive 
 influences. It is only necessary then to conceive, 
 that oxygen may be generated in some of these nebulae, 
 and hydrogen in others, in order that some of the 
 comets may take up by attraction the one of these 
 gases, and other comets may take up the other Gas, 
 and then proceed with them in their courses to the suns 
 of the systems to supply their waste of combustion; 
 since, as neither of the gases is combustible by itself, 
 there can be no danger of their being ignited by the 
 electric fluid till they arrive at those opposite points of 
 the sums vicinity; as we have shewn in page 122 of 
 this work. Now as our theory of the sun has received 
 the confirmation of some of the first rate astronomers, 
 we think we are entitled to present with due humility, 
 the above mentioned theory of the mode of generation 
 
» 
 
 179 
 
 and supply of gaseous matter to replace the waste of 
 the sun’s to their notice also. 
 
 I shall now proceed to make some enquiry into what 
 may be the effects of these discoveries of modern as¬ 
 tronomy on the minds of men. It would appear that 
 even that vast expanse of space occupied by the stars 
 and sun of our firmament may be mere points com¬ 
 pared with these discoveries. Sir John Herschell tells 
 us in his late beautiful treatise on astronomy, that he 
 usees “ firmament upon firmament” totally independent 
 of our own, and what numbers of them may not exist 
 in a space that is considered infinite 1 Now it ap¬ 
 pears to me that the effect of even the small knowledge 
 the more ancient nations had of astronomy, produced 
 in their minds the origin of the heathen mythology. 
 The psalms of David say “ The heavens declare the 
 Glory of God, and the firmament sheweth forth his 
 handywork,” the prophecy of the bible predicted a di¬ 
 rect communication from the Deity to man. This 
 has been verified by the Christian Religion, and 
 indeed it has for many years seemed to me highly 
 rational to suppose that the Creator, having exhibi¬ 
 ted such wonders of creation to a being whom he 
 has endowed with sagacity and power to ex¬ 
 plore these wonders, it has, I say appeared to me 
 highly rational to suppose, this benevolent creator would, 
 by some direct communication to mankind disclose to 
 them some parts of their destination in futurity, just 
 as a sovereign of a great empire, which he has 
 founded and established by his firmness and wisdom, 
 would naturally inform the youthful mind of his son, 
 of the advantages and enjoyments he would derive 
 from it in his future life. 
 
 The Revelations of Diety by the Christian Religion 
 have given this instruction to mankind, and I cannot 
 but believe that the modern astronomy is giving a 
 great confirmation of the truth of this religion. It 
 has brought us immensely nigher to the precincts of 
 the Deity. It has shewn us that our sun and system, 
 and all the stars or suns of our firmament are wheel- 
 
180 
 
 ing round some immense Centre. This very centre is 
 even pointed out to be in Alcyone one of the pleiades 
 of most astonishing distance as hi shewn in page 176, 
 I have suggested the ide a in the early editions of my 
 work, that we might conceive that centre to be the very 
 “ Empyreal Throne of God, mentioned in the fourth 
 chapter of Revelations.” See page 137, of this work, on 
 the subject of “ Paley’s Natural Theology.” Again I 
 have stated in my theory of the mode by which the 
 combustible gasses for the supply of the waste of the 
 suns of the universe are produced, that there must be 
 an act of creative agency continually going on for the 
 vast purpose, in the distant nebula?. In short T am led 
 to conclude, that the discoveries now made in modern 
 astronomy, and those which may be thereby induced 
 hereafter, may be considered as the handmaids of 
 Christianity. I believe that the power of modern 
 astronomical science which reveals to man, with so 
 much certaintly and grandeur the existence of an 
 unseen first cause of almighty power wisdom and 
 energy, wilh when by the natural progress of society, 
 this science shall be more generally diffused among 
 the masses of mankind, produce a wonderful advance 
 in the character and state of the Christian Religion. I 
 have in my late work on the “ present condition of 
 United Canada,” called on the various sects of the Pro¬ 
 testant Religion, to promote a convocation thereof, for 
 the purpose of ascending to the fountain head of that 
 Religion, as given by the Saviour to mankind, to try if 
 one national code could be formed by them entirely on 
 this Saviour God’s own principles, unity, peace and 
 good-will to man. Yes, I do believe that as by 
 the science of modern astronomy, the study of 
 the vast works of God, will become more diffused 
 among mankind they will see the folly of the 
 alienation and animosity occasioned by the working of 
 these various sectarian bodies, and that they will feel, 
 on ascending together to the time when this religion 
 was given to them, that nothing could be further from 
 the Saviour’s design in the government of his church, 
 for that (having faith in his divine commission,) they 
 
181 
 
 cannot but believe that he must have known that the 
 language in which he gave this religion to mankind 
 could be fully comprehended by them, and that there¬ 
 fore the design of his church is unity and peace. Such 
 then do I believe will be the effects of the science of 
 Modern Astronomy in its powerful tendency to enlarge 
 and expand the mind of man, and thus unite the Chris¬ 
 tian world in sound, reasonable and practical know¬ 
 ledge of the design of the Saviour, so that when his 
 religion shall be divested of that complicated state 
 into which it has been brought, by the folly and pre¬ 
 sumption of man in loading it with ceaesless discussion 
 which only produces endless differences of opinion; 
 and that when confined to the direct terms of the 
 Saviour himself, it will produce the end designed by 
 him, unity, peace and goodwill among men. In fine 
 that when by the progress of astronomical science, the 
 minds of the masses are enlightened with extended 
 views of the Almighty power and benevolence, they 
 will feel, that true devotion to him, that shall not be 
 founded on their fears, but on that perfect love, which, 
 as the scripture says, casteth out fear; it will be then 
 founded on the contemplation of the divine energies and 
 wisdom, and on gratitude, in fine, for the manifold 
 blessings and comforts he has bestowed on his creation : 
 and I further believe, that these comforts, being diffused 
 through society by such improvements as its wisdom 
 may in future suggest, will lead to the practice univer¬ 
 sally of those Christian virtues and graces which can¬ 
 not fail to produce happiness here and hereafter. 
 
 This is the advanced state of society which I 
 
 BELIEVE THE DIFFUSION OF THE STUDY OF MODERN 
 
 Astronomy will produce. 
 
 We have only now to make one observation on the 
 recent publication of the third volume of the cosmos as 
 far as relates to its author’s idea of the suns being an 
 electro magnetic storm, I therefore give the following 
 extract from the London Athenaeum of 12th April 1851, 
 “ Leading us again into cosmical space, the author lin¬ 
 gers with feelings of evident pleasure among the fixed 
 stars, he discusses the question of their movements, the 
 
 Q, 
 
nature of the universe pervading ether, and the phe¬ 
 nomena of stellar light. Adopting the views of 
 Huy gen’s Hook and other physichists, he endeavours 
 to explain luminous and thermic phenomena, by sup¬ 
 posing them due to electro magnetic currents. Sir W. 
 Herschell once speculated on the sun being in the 
 condition of a perpetual aurora, Humboldt imagines that 
 orb to be under the constant excitation of an electro 
 magneticstorm, by which the propulsion of luminous 
 waves through all space is effected; and the thermo 
 electric influences of the stars and planets in a similar 
 manner drive back from their shores the waves of 
 light which beat upon them, and hence their lustre. 
 There is more of poetry than philosophy in this theory 
 modified from that ofErsted; and Humboldt has allow¬ 
 ed his mind to be carried on in that stream of modem 
 thought which is disposed to refer everything which is 
 unknown to electricity. The weight of his name will 
 strengthen this probable error, and men satisfying them¬ 
 selves that they have, by adopting a phrase, explained 
 a fact, will rest in ignorance, because they are too idle 
 to enquire. To suppose that man has discovered all 
 the modes of force, or to adopt a more material view, 
 has traced out all the imponderable agencies which are 
 at work in the cosmos, is rash and unscientific: we 
 believe that there are things between heaven and earth 
 yet undreamt of in our philosophy, and we are not 
 satisfied that magnetism is the primum mobile, it 
 needs little reflection on what we now know to per- 
 cieve that there must be physical powers beyond those 
 the effects of which have been searchingly examined, 
 and that even the all-pervading force of gravitation, 
 must be the result of some such higher power which 
 the eagle eye of the philosopher has not yet traced in 
 its mysterious operation. 
 
 « Alexander Humboldt is a man to use Akensides 
 phrase of “ chosen mind,” he has worked diligently in 
 his high vocation, and lingers lovingly over it: when 
 we remember the advanced age of this great traveller 
 and philosopher, we cannot but admire the zeal which 
 like a pure flame expiring yet radiates light around, 
 
183 
 
 mid we can pardon the discursiveness of which twenty 
 years since he would not have been guilty.” 
 
 In the Appendix No. 2, in the'sixth edition of this 
 work we reviewed several theories of the sun, which 
 had been presented to the world, and among them the 
 electric theory, see page 14*2 appendix No f 2, shewing 
 that “ Before we can refer to electricity as the cause 
 of the light and heat of the sun, we have first to find 
 whence is produced the “ indispensable materiel v of 
 this electricity,” without which no electricity can be 
 formed. With respect to Humboldt’s idea of a storm 
 existing in the sun, I have often reflected on the vast 
 noise that must ensue from the rushing of the immense 
 volumes of the gases discharged into the body of the sun 
 from the tails of the various comets designed to supply 
 the waste of his combustion, according to the theory 
 of the sun, stated in our system of Creation ; and if we 
 wish to form some remote idea of the thunder-like 
 noise or storm in the sun, that must be engendered by 
 the draft of the sun’s fire, we have only to think of the 
 noise formed by the air passing into a common furnace 
 whose aperture is only a few inches, and then to con¬ 
 sider, that the noise or storm occasioned by two comets 
 discharging their gases, the breadth of whose volume 
 is perhaps millions of miles, in opposite points of the 
 sun’s surface, must be in like proportion. Yes, the rush¬ 
 ing of these stupendous volumes of gas into the sun 
 must needs produce a sound or storm with which all 
 the loud thunders of our earth could they be so concen¬ 
 trated, as to be heard by all its inhabitants, can bear no 
 comparison, and well it is rhat thenighest planet to the 
 sun is above 37 millions of miles from it, for otherwise 
 its inhabitants might not only be deafened, but their 
 planet blown to atoms. In addition also to this cause 
 of storm, we know that electricity, both positive and 
 negative, is evolved by the combustion of the oxygen 
 and hydrogen gases, and that such stupendous quan¬ 
 tities of each electricity as must be evolved by that 
 combustion may tend to increase the storm of the 
 rushing gases, is highly probable. Now we have 
 shewn in our review above mentioned in page 142 of 
 
184 
 
 the Appendix, that the materiel of electricity cannot 
 exist in the body of the sim, and as our theory of the 
 gaseous supply by the comets, will give a palpable 
 source of light, heat and also electricity, we certainly 
 feel that theory is again confirmed by the opinion and 
 observations of the Athenaeum on the convenient prac¬ 
 tice of some writers of referring everything unknown 
 to electricity ; just as was formerly done to chance 
 formation, or to the nerves, for the cause of unknown 
 diseases. 
 
 Well then does the Athenaeum observe, “ that there 
 is more of poetry than philosophy, in this idea of Hum¬ 
 boldt, that electro magnetic electricity is the cause of 
 the light and heat of the sun. 5 ’ The very fact that the 
 immense number of the comets, (being according to 
 Lardner and Arago’s astronomy there upwards of seven 
 millions existing in universal space,) all of which 
 when visible to us make for and go round the sun, this 
 very fact I say, would seem to account for the mode of 
 supply of the sun’s waste in the most natural manner; 
 in fact precisely, as the lamps of our cities are supplied 
 with fuel, with hydrogen from the gas house, and 
 oxygen from the atmosphere. Accordingly, the light 
 and Heat from the sun, comes, to us with the most ge¬ 
 nial and vivifying powers, bringing forth the buds and 
 leaves and blossoms of the spring, the beautiful flowers 
 of summer, the nutritious pulse and delightful fields 
 of autumn, and cheering and reviving the vital powers 
 of mankind, whereas when we know and often feel 
 the deadly effects of electric storms in the heavens, 
 what terrific effects would we be justified in expecting, 
 if the vast body of the sun were an electric mass. 
 
 I cannot then but consider that our theory of the 
 sun rests upon more tangible facts and bases, and I 
 wait with anxious expectation to learn that future dis¬ 
 coveries of Lord Rosses telescope, when directed to the 
 vast luminary, will give still more confirmation to our 
 theory.* 
 
 * In Tail’s Magazine for March, 1848, under the head “Popular 
 Lectures,” page 1^7, “ Nichol, on the contrary, seems to point to the 
 
185 
 
 We shall now observe respecting the belief (ex* * 
 pressed by the Athenceum ) that there are things be¬ 
 tween heaven and earth yet undreamt of in our philo¬ 
 sophy. In the sixth edition of our System of Creation 
 we have expressed our belief that there must be elabo- 
 fatories of gases in some part of the regions of space, 
 to produce the tails of the comets for supplying the suns 
 of the universe with heat and light. If therefore this 
 part of our system shall be hereafter confirmed by the 
 astronomers, we shall have at least a claim to the first 
 suggestion ; and we shall conclude the eighth edition 
 of our work, with repeating our observation that the 
 science of astronomy, by its modern advancement and 
 its future progress, is powerfully calculated to bring 
 the minds of men in closer contact with, and know¬ 
 ledge of their Creator; and that man having been 
 permitted and endowed by him with the means of 
 exploring those wonders of his creation, he will not 
 disappoint him in the promises given in the holy 
 writings, of a nearer and more complete inspection of 
 them in a future state. 
 
 In conclusion, the vast discoveries of astronomy ap¬ 
 pear to me to be designed by nature to lead man to the 
 contemplated expectation of a future state of existence. 
 How is it possible to believe that Providence should 
 present to his observation and study so vast a universe 
 of worlds, and yet deny him the future contemplation 
 of their glories. Yes, the soul of man in its perfection, 
 is part of the vitality of God himself; it must therefore 
 be immortal, and therefore it is in the wisdom of man by 
 following the dictates of Christianity, to endeavour to 
 secure for himself the blessings of that immortality. 
 “ All are but parts of one stupendous whole, 
 u Whose Body Nature is and God the soul,’' 
 
 Alexr. Pope. 
 
 stars, not with a cold rod, but with a w aving torch. He never 
 
 * doubts that the stars are fire’—no immeasurable icebergs they, 
 floating in frozen air, but glowing, burning, almost living orbs; 
 and his words glow, burn, and nearly start from the page in 
 unison,” In this point then Nichol agrees with Newton and with 
 our theory, that the stars, now called suns of other systems, are 
 bodies of fire. 
 
 q2 
 
186 
 
 “ Be ye also perfect, as your Heavenly Father in Heaven 
 is perfect.” From Scripture. 
 
 If then a convocation, as we have suggested in our 
 work on the Canadas, be formed by the Christian 
 sects, it is possible a great accession of strength may 
 be given to man’s steadiness in following these dictates 
 of Christianity. When the united voice of the nation 
 shall have erected a church, founded alone on the 
 Saviour’s own words, then the conviction of every indi¬ 
 vidual mind in it, will be sanctioned and confirmed, all 
 its tendencies to waver will be removed, and it will 
 proceed through life with the unshaken firmness of 
 consistency. 
 
 N. B.—A principal part of the Theory of Creation 
 of this work being founded on the 1st and 2nd verses 
 of the 1st chapter of Genesis, I wished much to add to 
 it the notes of that part of Hayden’s Creation, relating 
 to those verses, but could not procure them. To any 
 musical lady or gentleman possessing that sublime 
 piece of music, it may perhaps afford additional satis¬ 
 faction to find its idea carried out and embodied in 
 this work. 
 
 I 
 
187 
 
 ADDITION 
 
 . TO THE 
 
 EIGHTH EDITION 
 
 OF 
 
 SYSTEM OF THE CREATION. 
 
 On the occasion of binding the remaining copies of 
 the eighth edition of this work, I take the opportu¬ 
 nity of making this addition, first, to notice some 
 confirmations of parts of our theory, by two authors 
 of celebrity; and, secondly, to state a suggestion 
 which I had intended to present at a Lecture on my 
 work on the Creation, which suggestion, I conceive, 
 may hereafter prove of service to those students in 
 Astronomy, who possess a lively zeal for discovery in 
 that magnificient science. 
 
 The first of these confirmations of our theory of 
 the production of the Geological Bodies, in the ocean 
 of genesis, is taken from Harper's Magazine , June, 
 1850, to wit:— 
 
 (From, Harper’s Magazine, June , 1850.) 
 
 “The French savans, MM. Malgale, Derocher and 
 Suzeau, announce that they have detected in the waters 
 of the ocean the presence of copper, lead and silver. The 
 water examined appears to have been taken some 
 leagues off the coast of St. Malo’s in France, and the 
 fncoidal plants of that district are also found to contain 
 silver. The F. Serratus and the F. Ceramoides yielded 
 ashes containing 1-1000,000 part, while the water of 
 the sea contained but little more than 1-100,000,000 
 part. They state also that they find silver in sea salt 
 and the ordinary muriatic acid, and in the soda of 
 commerce, and that they have examined the rock-salt 
 of Lorraine, in which they discovered this metal. 
 Beyond these, pursuing their researches in terrestrial 
 plants, they have obtained such indications as leave no 
 doubt of the existence of silver in vegetable tissues. 
 Lead is said to be always found in the ashes of marine 
 
plants—usually about 18-100,000 parts—and inva¬ 
 riably a trace of copper. Should these results be con* 
 firmed by further examination, we shall have advanced 
 considerably towards a hnowledge of the original for* 
 mation of mineral veins in our earth.” 
 
 The second confirmation of this part of our theory, 
 will be found, I believe, in Harper's Magazine, for 
 May or June, 1852, wherein it is shewn, that Prim¬ 
 ary Earths and Metals have been found in the ashes 
 of certain vegetables, which were raised in such 
 manner as to preclude the possibility of these earths 
 and metals to have derived their origin from any other 
 source than^he vital processes of these plants, acting 
 on the air and water supplied them; which precisely 
 agrees with our theory of the formation of these Pri¬ 
 mary Earths. 
 
 The above discoveries agree and confirm the state¬ 
 ments of the great French chemists, Chaptal, Schrader 
 and Braconnot, as given in the Eighth Edition of our 
 System of the Creation, on which we based our theory 
 of the formation of the metallic and geological bodies 
 by the processes of vegetation and animalization. 
 
 I have also seen, in a late astronomical publication, 
 that Professor Nicholl has now agreed to the opinion 
 that the heat of the sun must be derived from some 
 " external source.” Now, a most ample “external 
 source 5 ’ for this object is contained in our theory of 
 the sun’s formation, namely, the gasses conveyed to the 
 sun by the tails of the comets, which is agreeable to 
 Sir Isaac Newton’s opinion, as shewn in page 150 of our 
 appendix No. 2 to 8th edition. 
 
 The last confirmation we shall give is from a lecture 
 said to have been given by Sir David Brewster, the 
 distinguished Optician, of England, wherein I am 
 informed, he has taken a very complimentary notice of 
 our System of the Creation, especially that part of it 
 which refers to the Formation of the Suns of the Uni¬ 
 verse, and the mode of restoring the waste of their 
 Light and Heat. 
 
 We now give the suggestion intended to have been 
 given in the lecture above mentioned. 
 
189 
 
 With respect to the future possible discoveries of 
 Modern Astronomy, I beg leave to say, that by the 
 naked eye, (as we are told by Astronomers) only 2,000 
 stars can be seen : by the use of the telescope, I believe, 
 hundreds of thousands can be seen. Sir John Hers- 
 chell, by his largest telescope, resolved into Stars a 
 great number* of the 2,000 Nebulas, which he and his 
 father had catalogued ; but out of fifty of these Nebulae, 
 unresolvable by Herchell’s telescope, Earl Rosse, by 
 his six feet diameter telescope, succeeded in ascertain¬ 
 ing that forty-three of them were resolvable into stars. 
 Now Astronomers say, that the light of the most dis¬ 
 tant Stars, that can be seen by the eye, would take 120 
 years to reach the earth, and thus being at too great a 
 distance to shine by a borrowed light, they agree that 
 these Stars must, therefore, be Suns, and it is said by 
 some that our Sun is one of the Stars of the Milky 
 Way. If this view of the Stars of the Firmament be 
 correct, we have a clear right, by induction, to conclude 
 that these Suns are accompanied by families of 
 Planets, as our own Sun is. Further, we know that 
 the wonderful discovery of the daguerrotype shews us, 
 that by a certain mixture of Iodine and other chemi¬ 
 cal ingredients, the rays of light from the human coun¬ 
 tenance can be embodied on a metallic plate, in perfect 
 resemblance of the face itself. Now, it is not impos¬ 
 sible, that some future wealthy and zealous Astrono¬ 
 mer may arise, to construct a twelve-foot telescope, 
 being double that' of the Earl of Rosse; so it is also 
 possible that some chemical mixture may be found 
 greatly to add to the powers of vision of such a teles¬ 
 cope. May we not be hereafter enabled by such impro¬ 
 vements, to discover the very Planets of those distant 
 systems P 
 
 I state this suggestion, merely to shew that the 
 future powers of Astronomy cannot be limited ; and to 
 what astonishing scenes of astronomical discoveries 
 they may possibly lead. 
 
190 
 
 EXTRA MATTER 
 
 FOR THE NINTH EDITION 
 
 OF THE 
 
 SYSTEM OF CREATION. 
 
 In the Appendix No. 2, to this work it is shewn on 
 the ‘authority of a great philosophical writer, that the 
 late M. Arago “ a french astronomer of very great cele¬ 
 brity, has proved to mathematical demonstration, that 
 the sun’s atmosphere is an Ocean of Flame” and it is 
 there also shewn, that by a work called “ Sketches of 
 conspicuous characters living in France, under “ life 
 of Arago” the followng paragraph appears. 
 
 “ Subjecting thus” (vide extra matter for 5th edition 
 page 135 of this appendix) “ down to space.’’ Now M. 
 Arago had shewn as above, that the sun’s atmosphere 
 was an ocean of Flame: and this atmosphere of the 
 sun is said by astronomers to be 2500 miles from his 
 surface, and there can be no doubt then, that Arogo 
 considered the body of the sun to be in a state of com¬ 
 bustion for the purpose of heating and lighting the earth 
 and planets. 
 
 In the extra matter for the 6th Edition of our work 
 see page 137, I have given some account of the nebular 
 hypothesis and of the nebulae. This nebular hypo¬ 
 thesis was of a very splendid nature, but supposed to 
 be rather atheistical; however as we have shewn in 
 page 139, Doctor Scoresby of Dublin says “ the grand 
 nebular hypothesis of La Place has been resolved into a 
 splendid astronomical dream, by the discoveries made 
 by Earl Rosse’s new telescope of 6 feet diameter. 
 
 Our theory of the earth and sun is founded on the 
 mosaic account of Creation, in the 1st. 2nd and subse¬ 
 quent versus of genesis chapter 1st; but there can be no 
 doubt that the aqueous vapor formed by the combustion 
 of the gasses of oxygen and hydrogen before they 
 became condensed into what is called the waters, or 
 
191 
 
 ocean of Genesis, may have existed for ages previously 
 in a vaporous or nebulous state. 
 
 Having in the 8th edition of this work endeavoured 
 to shew, that by the discoveries made, and likely to be 
 made in future by modern astronomy, the Christian 
 Religion would be greatly confirmed, and the best 
 effects produced on society from the diffusion of those 
 discoveries, I had conceived and intended that the 8th 
 edition should be the final one of this work ; but I have 
 found in the November number of 1852 of the Canadian 
 journal, published by the Canadian Institute of the city 
 of Toronto, an extract from the proceedings of the 22nd 
 meeting of the British Association in England for the 
 advancement of science, and in which extract is given 
 the president of the associations address, in which a very 
 surprizing discovery is stated to have been made, pur¬ 
 porting that the magnetic variations of the marine 
 compass are dependant on, and derived from the sun, 
 as their Primary source. Now, as by the Theory of 
 the Sun of this work on the Creation, the oxygen and 
 hydrogen gasses are brought into a state of combustion 
 for the restoration of the waste of his heat and light, 
 and as by the combustion of these gasses both electri¬ 
 cities must be produced, the -oxygen gas evolving the 
 positive electricity and the hydrogen evolving the 
 negative, it follows that a stupendous quantity of elec¬ 
 tricity must be thereby produced in the sun, and there¬ 
 fore, as by the above stated discovery, the magnetic 
 variations of the compass are derived from the sun we 
 consider a powerful sanction of our theory has been 
 thus given ; and the 8th edition of our work being- 
 soldoff, we have therefore concluded to produce beiore 
 the Public this ninth edition of the work. And we 
 therefore present the following extract (from the speech 
 of the president of the British Association in England 
 for the advancement of science) to the Canadian Public. 
 
 “ The periodical variations in the terrestrial magnetic 
 force, which I have before adverted to as distinguished, 
 from its secular change, are small in comparison with 
 the force itself; but they are highly deserving of atten¬ 
 tion on account of the probability that by suitable 
 
192 
 
 methods of investigation they may be made to reveal 
 the sources to which they owe their origin and the 
 agency by which they are produced. They formed 
 accordingly the subject of a distinct recommendation 
 from the British Association, which met with an equally 
 favourable reception. To investigate these variations 
 by suitable instruments and methods, to separate each 
 from the others, and to seek its period, its epochs of 
 maximum and minimum, the laws of its progression, 
 and its mean numerical value or amount, constituted 
 the chief purposes for which magnetic observatories 
 were established for limited periods at certain stations 
 in Her Majesty's dominions, selected in a view that by 
 a combination of the results obtained at them a general 
 theory of each at least of the principal periodical vari¬ 
 ations might be derived, and tests be thus supplied 
 whereby the truth of physical theories propounded for 
 their explanation might be examined. We are just 
 beginning to profit by the collocation and study of the 
 great body of facts which has been collected. Varia¬ 
 tions corresponding in period to the earth’s revolution 
 around the sun, and to its rotation around its own axis, 
 have been ascertained to exist, and their numerical 
 values approximately determined in each of the three 
 elements, the Declination, Inclination, and Magnetic 
 Force. We unhesitatingly refer these variations to the 
 sun as their primary source, since we find that in 
 whatever part of the globe the phenomena are observed, 
 the solstice and equinoxes are the critical epochs of 
 the variations whose period is a year, whilst the diurnal 
 variation follows in all meridians nearly the same law 
 of local solar hours. To these unquestionable evi¬ 
 dences of solar influence in the magnetic affections of 
 the earth, we have now to add the recently ascertained 
 fact, that the magnetic storms, or disturbances, which 
 in the absence of more correct knowledge were sup¬ 
 posed to be wholly irregular in their occurence, are 
 strictly periodical phenomena, conforming with syste¬ 
 matic regularity to laws in which the influence of 
 local solar hours is distinctly traced.” 
 
193 
 
 rr But whilst we recognize the sun as the primary 
 ■cause of variations whose periods attest the source from 
 whence they derive their origin, the mode or modes in 
 which the effects are produced constitute a question 
 which has been and may still be open to a'variety of 
 opinions ; the direct action of the sun as being itself a 
 magnet—its calorific agency in occasioning thermo¬ 
 electric and galvanic currents, or in alternately exalting 
 and depressing the magnetic condition of substances 
 near the surface of the earth or in one of the consti¬ 
 tuents of its atmosphere,—have been severally adduced 
 as hypotheses affording plausible explanations. Of each 
 and all such hypotheses the facts are the only true 
 criteria : but it is right that we should bear in mind 
 that in the present state of our knowledge, the evidence 
 which may give a decided countenance to one hypo¬ 
 thesis in preference to others does not preclude their 
 possible co-existence. The analysis of the collected 
 materials and the disentanglement of the various 
 effects which are comprehended in them, is far from 
 being yet complete. The correspondence of the critical 
 epochs* of the annual variation with the solstices and 
 equinoxes, rather than with the epochs of maximum 
 and minimum temperature, which at the surface of 
 the earth, in the subsoil beneath the surface, or in the 
 atmosphere above the surface, are separated by a wide 
 interval from the solstitial epochs, appears to favour 
 the hypothesis of a direct action; as does also the 
 remarkable fact which has been established, that the 
 magnetic force is greater in both the northern and 
 southern hemispheres in the months of December, 
 January, and February, when the sun is nearest to the 
 earth, than in those of May, June and July, when he 
 is most distant from it: whereas if the effect were 
 due to temperature , the two hemispheres should be 
 oppositely, instead of similarly affected in each of the 
 two periods referred to ; Still, there are doubtless minor 
 periodical irregular variations which have yet to be 
 made out by suitable analytical processes, whose, pos¬ 
 sible accordance with the epochs of maximum and 
 minimum temperature, may support in a more limited 
 
 R 
 
194 
 
 sense, not as a sole but as a co-ordinate cause, the 
 hypothesis of caloric agency so generally received, and 
 so ably advocated of late in connexion with the disco¬ 
 very by our great chemist and philosopher of the mag¬ 
 netic properties of oxygen and of the manner in which 
 they are modified and affected by differences of tempe¬ 
 rature. It may indeed be difficult to suppose that the 
 magnetic phenomena which we measure at the surface 
 of the globe should not be in any degree influenced 
 by the variations in the magnetic conditions of the 
 oxygen of the atmosphere in different seasons and at 
 different hours of the day and night; but whether that 
 influence be sensible or not, whether it be appreciable 
 by our instruments or inappreciable by them, is a ques¬ 
 tion which yet remains for solution by the more minute 
 sifting of the accumulated facts which are now under¬ 
 going examination in so many quarters.” 
 
 “ To justify the anticipation that conclusions of the 
 most striking character, and wholly unforeseen, may 
 yet be derivable from the materials in our possession, 
 we need only to recall the experience of the last few 
 months, which have brought to our knowledge the 
 existence of what may possible prove the most instruc- . 
 tive, as it is certainly at first sight the least explicable 
 of all the periodical magnetic variations with which 
 we have become acquainted. I refer to the concurrent 
 testimony which observations at parts of the globe the 
 most distant from each other, bear to the existence of a 
 periodical variation or inequality, affecting alike the 
 magnitude and frequency of the disturbance of storms. 
 The cycle or period of this inequality appears to extend 
 to about ten of our years ; the maximum and minimum 
 of the magnitudes affected by it being separated by an 
 interval of about five years, and the differences being 
 much too great, and resting on an induction far too 
 extensive, to admit of uncertainty as to the facts them¬ 
 selves. The existence of a well-marked magnetic 
 period which has certainly no counterpart in thermic 
 conditions, appears to render still more doubtful the 
 supposed connexion between the magnetic and calorific 
 influences of the sun . It is not a little remarkable that 
 
195 
 
 this periodical magnetic variation is fonnd to be iden¬ 
 tical in period and in epochs of maxima and minima 
 with the periodical variation in the frequency and 
 magnitude of the solar spots which Mr. Schwabe has 
 established by twenty-six years of unremitting labour. 
 From a cosmical connexion of this nature, supposing 
 it to be finally established, it would follow, that the 
 decennial period which we measure by our magnetic 
 instruments is, in fact, a solar period , manifested to us 
 also by the alternately increasing and decreasing fre¬ 
 quency and magnitude of obscurations on the surface 
 of the solar disc. May we not have in these pheno¬ 
 mena the indication of a cycle or period of secular 
 change in the magnetism of the sun, affecting visibly his 
 gaseous atmosphere or photosphere, and sensibly modi¬ 
 fying the magnetic influence which he exercises on the 
 surface of our earth?” 
 
 This great discovery then, we consider as highly sanc¬ 
 tioning our theory of the Sun, but I have to make one 
 observation on that part of the extract which states 
 that the Sun, as a “ magnet” has been by some offered 
 as a suggestion to account for its influence on the 
 magnetic variations on our earth. 
 
 If it be here intended to suggest by the word 
 “ magnet” that the sun is composed of electricity, I 
 beg leave to refer the reader to page 142 of this appen¬ 
 dix wherein I trust to have refuted and disproved that 
 idea. If the sun (whose circumference is near two 
 million four hundred thousand miles,) were intirely con¬ 
 sisting of electricity, I should conceive, from the peri¬ 
 lous effects of electric storms even in our own contracted 
 atmosphere, that neither the earth nor the other planets 
 could perform their periodical revolutions round the 
 sun, in safety. 
 
 By our theory of the sun we conceive there may be 
 sufficient electricity evolved by the combustion of the 
 oxygen and hydrogen gasses to produce these magne- 
 tical variations on the earth’s surface and which fact is 
 proved by the above stated discovery of the British 
 Association, and that without endangering the earth’s 
 safety as we happily find to be the case. 
 
196 
 
 And when we reflect on the invariable constancy of 
 the elective motions which seem to defy the opposition 
 of all distance, and reflect also, on their invariable 
 effects to produce an equilibrium ; it appears to me, 
 there can be no doubt that the electricity produced in the 
 sun, by the combustion of the gasses as above shewn, 
 must be the true cause of the magnetic variations on 
 the earth’s surface. 
 
 And it is remarkable that the great author of the 
 cosmos in his first vol page 180, has suggested the 
 same idea, that is now verified by the above speech of 
 the President of the British Association. 
 
 The cosmos says in page ISO. “ Are these currents 
 electro currents on the surface of the earth, thermo- 
 magnetic and excited directly from unequal distribu¬ 
 tion of Heat ! or should we not rather regard them as 
 induced by the position of the sun y and by the solar Heat 
 
 The phenomena of periodical variations depend 
 manifestly on the action of solar Heat operating pro¬ 
 bably thro’ the medium of thermo-electric currents in¬ 
 duced on the earths surface (Trom observations to be 
 made in the Antarctic Expedition .”) 
 
 And in the annual of scientific discovery for 1854 
 edited by Doctor A. Wells, it is said. 
 
 “ These Laws are coming out with beautiful preci¬ 
 sion from the reduction, which Col. Sabine is now 
 making of the numerous observations taken at the 
 different magnetic stations. In his address before the 
 British Association in 1854 he stated, that the secular 
 changes in the magnetical forces w r ere confirmed in 
 those recent observations and also that periodical varia¬ 
 tions depending on the solar day, and on the time of 
 the year had been distinctly made out, indicating the 
 sun as the cause of these variations. 
 
 During the past year the results of the observations 
 made in Toronto, have brought out with equal perspi¬ 
 cuity, a variety in the direction of the magnetic needle 
 going thro’ all its changes in each lunar day. These 
 results with reference to the sun prove the immediate 
 and direct exercise of a magnetic influence emanating 
 from that luminary. 
 
197 
 
 I have in this ninth edition of my work to make one 
 observation on the great number of planets stated by 
 some astronomers to be contained in our system. 
 
 According to the A bb6 de Sales, there are not less 
 than seven hundred thousand planets in this system ; 
 and the foundation of his estimate he states to be, that 
 there is sufficient room in it for the orbits of this num¬ 
 ber of planets without interfering with each other, and, 
 that nature could not have left such large spaces unoc¬ 
 cupied. 
 
 Now if this were really the case, we might fairly ask 
 how happens it that so very few of these planets are seen 
 by the largest and best Telescopes, namely only 17, and 
 therefore it appears to me, that altho’ there may be 
 room for that number of Planets, still they are not yet 
 in existence, and we humbly conceive our theory of 
 the comets will explain this. 
 
 By this theory, the formation of the planets is one 
 part of the purposes of the comets, by the deposition of 
 their aqueous vapors in their returning courses from the 
 sun, and if our theory be founded in nature, it is pro¬ 
 bable therefore that these vacant spaces in the systems 
 may be only gradually filling up with new formations of 
 planetary bodies. 
 
 Of the number of comets also, (as it is stated in Arago 
 and Lardner’s Astronomy) that it is probable that seven 
 millions of them are included within the limits of our 
 system, and altho’ the reasoning above, respecting the 
 number of planets, stated to exist in our system, does 
 not indeed apply to the number of comets, (since in our 
 theory of creation, we have presented no ideas on the 
 original formation of the nuclei of comets, but merely 
 stated the changes which must by our theory, take place 
 in the nature of their tails on receding from the sun,) 
 yet should the number of these comets be correct as 
 stated by Arago, and indeed, in corroboration of his 
 estimate, it is certain that the famous astronomer 
 Kepler stated his belief that there were more comets in 
 the regions of space than there were fishes in the sea ; 
 and also the profound author of the cosmos says: there 
 are myriads of them; If therefore these statements of 
 
 r2 
 
198 
 
 the astronomers as to this vast number of comets be 
 well founded, it certainly appears to me a strong con¬ 
 firmation of our theory, that the comets are designed 
 to restore the waste of the sun’s light and heat, in as 
 much as it would prove they are sufficiently numerous 
 for that great purpose. 
 
 I shall now proceed to make some observations on 
 the great discovery stated in the speech of the President 
 of the British Association given above. 
 
 The eighth edition of our work on the creation was 
 intended to shew the beneficial effects on society which 
 an enlarged diffusion thro’ the masses of mankind, of the 
 recent discoveries in astronomy would produce. 
 
 And altho’ I have good reason to be gratified that 
 our theory of the sun is supported by the above named 
 great discovery and that it is authenticated by so high 
 an authority as the British Association for the diffusion 
 of science ; yet, I feel equally pleased by the hopes that 
 this discovery will awaken a great zeal for the study 
 of modern astronomy in this Province. 
 
 I verily believe that the study and contemplation of 
 the heavenly Bodies was designed by Nature to lead 
 mankind to the contemplation and hopes of a future 
 state. The very distances of some of these Bodies are 
 sufficient of themselves to produce the most sublime 
 conceptions of the great first cause. The highly talen¬ 
 ted author of the Cosmos states in Page 78, 1st volume 
 “The cluster of Stars to which our cosmical Island 
 belongs, forms; alens shaped flattened stratum detached 
 on every side, whose major axis is estimated at seven 
 or eight Hundred and its minor one at a hundred and 
 fifty times the distance of Syrius from the Earth. Now 
 Syrius is 60 million of million of miles from the Earth 
 according to Arago and Lardner’s astronomy ; and 800 
 times that distance is forty-eight thousand million million 
 of miles from the earth, and in the 1st volume of the 
 cosmos page 154 it is said by its renowned author. “The 
 “ elder Herschell was of opinion that light requires 
 “ almost two millions of years to pass to the earth from 
 4t the remotest luminous vapor reached by his 40 feet 
 44 reflector.” And it is a great proof of the wonderful 
 
199 
 
 power and goodness which the creator has shewn in his 
 construction of the human mind, that it should arrive 
 at such vast conclusions without being overwhelmed by 
 them. 
 
 The British Government has it seems given up the 
 astronomical observatory at Toronto with all the instru¬ 
 ments pertaining thereto, to the Provincial Government 
 of Canada. It therefore appears to me, that a great 
 opportunity presents itself to our Government, (there 
 being so many high Seminaries of learning in the 
 Province) for awakening a zeal for the prosecution of the 
 study of the modern astronomy. I consider that a new 
 eera in the history of that magnificent science is about 
 to appear, in consequence of the above stated great 
 discovery of the relation of the magnetic variations of 
 the compass to our Sun ; and it appears also to me, it 
 would be well worthy of our Provincial Government to 
 facilitate the efforts of the scientific portion of the 
 Province to take a share in discoveries which may in 
 future be made in it. For this purpose I should 
 conceive a large and powerful telescope should be fur¬ 
 nished to the observatory of Toronto, whereby the 
 solstices and equinoxes, or other changes in the sun’s 
 surface may be invariably, and closely examined, and 
 their connection with the magnetic variations of the 
 mariner’s compass, be accurately noted and described. 
 
 By the industry, zeal and talent, of our provincial 
 geologist and his assistants, Canada has acquired con¬ 
 siderable praise in the sciences of mineralogy and 
 geology, and there is no reason why she should not 
 aspire to elevation and repute in the vast field of 
 astronomical discovery which I trust is about to open. 
 
 Lord Rosse’s Telescope is six feet diameter ; and the 
 Revd. M. Craigs of England is eight feet and a half in 
 diameter. It could not be expected the Province could 
 go to so high an expence, nor need it. But the or¬ 
 dering of one, much more large and powerful than 
 commonly used, would possibly answer, so to excite the 
 zeal of our students as to enable them to share in 
 the honors of discovery in future ; and I must observe 
 that I know of no more powerful means of producing 
 
200 
 
 good and true religious feelings, than the contemplation 
 and study of the heavenly bodies ; for altho it may be 
 true, that the contemplation of bodies of such vast num¬ 
 bers, and distances, and of the forces which govern 
 them, tend so to overwhelm the imagination of man, 
 that we may not consider ourselves worthy to invoke 
 the unfathomable creator of them, yet when we find he 
 has condescended to grant us a saviour, by whom we 
 are invited to come to pour out our adoration before him y 
 and by doing which the human mind becomes suscep¬ 
 tible of the most exalted sensations of which it is 
 capable, w^e feel accordingly the utmost gratitude to the 
 supreme donor. For myself at least I can say, that the 
 first time I partook of the sacrament of the saviours 
 supper at the communion table, I experienced a sensa¬ 
 tion of the heart, of the most over earthly and delightful 
 nature, I had ever felt before. 
 
 I shall now give the opinions of some writers on the 
 theory of the formation of the earth by the condensation 
 of nebulous matter. The cosmos * * seems to adopt it, 
 but his opinion of nebulous formation as well as that of 
 La Place which is the same, were writtenbefore the Earl 
 of Posse had, by means of his telescope of 6 ft. dia¬ 
 meter resolved forty three out of fifty three of these 
 nebulae into real stars. Doctor Scoresby and professor 
 Nicoll who were, I believe before this event, suppor- 
 
 Extract from Cosmos, Vol., 1, page 285. 
 
 * “ In the first formation of the planets, as we stated in the as- 
 ( tronomical portion of this work, it is probable that nebulous 
 ‘ rings revolving round the sun were agglomerated into spheriods, 
 
 ‘ and consolidated hy a gradual condensation proceeding from the 
 ‘ exterior toward the center. What we term the ancient Silurian 
 ‘ strata are thus only the upper portions of the solid crust of the 
 ‘ earth.” 
 
 “ The erupted rocks which have broken through and upheaved 
 ‘ these strata have been elevated from depths that are wholly 
 ‘ inaccessible to our research; they must, therefore, have existed 
 ‘ under the Silurian strata, and been composed of the same associ- 
 1 ation of minerals which we term granite, augite, and quartzose 
 £ porphyry, when they are made known to us by eruption through 
 ‘ the surface. Basing our inquiries on analogy, we may assume 
 < that the substances which fill up deep fissures and traverse the 
 ‘ sedimentary strata are merely the ramification of a lower de- 
 ‘ posit. The foci of active volcanoes are situated at enormous 
 « depths, and, judging from the remarkable fragments which I 
 
201 
 
 ters of the nebular hypothesis have now disclaimed it 
 and, Doctor Scoresby says, that this grand nebular 
 hypothesis of La Place, is thus resolved into a splendid 
 astronomical dream ; and it certainly seems difficult 
 even to imagine that the bases of two or three primary 
 gasses should be able to form the immense variety of 
 solid bodies of which our earth and probably all the 
 planets are composed. This leads me therefore to a 
 comparison of the theory of gasseous or nebulous for¬ 
 mation with our own, as shewn in this system of crea¬ 
 tion, 9th edition. 
 
 The theory of the nebulous formation derives the 
 composition of all the solid Bodies of the earth from 
 the in animate combinations of condensed gaseous or 
 nebulous matter; whilst our theory embraces the 
 most energetic source of formation, namely the action of 
 the vital powers of the vegetable and animal creation 
 of the oceanic waters of Genesis, to embody these 
 bases of the gasses imbibed from those waters and the 
 air contained in them and which gasses (by the aid of the 
 electric fluid and the powers of their vitality,) this 
 animal and vegetable creation of the waters of Genesis 
 have transformed into the solids composing their subs¬ 
 tances, which finally, by the deposition of their remains 
 after their death, have produced all the solid bodies of 
 our earth : 
 
 “ have found in various parts of the earth incrusted in lava cur- 
 “ rents, I should deem it more than probable that a primordial 
 “ granite rock forms the substratum of the vhole stratified edifice 
 “ of fossil remains. Basalt containing olivine first shows itself in 
 “ the period of the chalk, trachyte still later, while eruptions of 
 “ granite belong, as we learn from the products of their meta- 
 “ morphic action, to the epoch of the oldest sedimentary strata of 
 “ the transition formation. Where knowledge can not be attained 
 “ from immediate perceptive evidence, we may be allowed from 
 “ induction, no less than from a careful comparisqju of facts, to 
 “ hazard a conjecture by which granite would be restored to a 
 “ portion of its contested right and title to be considered as a 
 u primordial rock. 
 
 “ The recent progress of geognosy, that is to say the more exten- 
 “ ded knowledge of the geognostic epochs characterized by diffe- 
 “ rence of mineral formations, bv the peculiarities and succession 
 “ ofthe organism contained within them, and by the position of 
 « the strata, whether uplifted or inclined horizontally, leads us, by 
 
202 
 
 We have shewn in the Preface to the 3rd edition 
 of our work, that the celebrated geologist Hutton has 
 sanctioned this theory of formation of which indeed 
 I was not aware till some years after the publish¬ 
 ing of my first edition in Toronto, 1836. 
 
 “ If, with Elie de Beaumont, we term the waters (in 
 which the Jura limestone and chalk formed a soft 
 deposit) the Jurassic or oolitic, and the cretaceous seas, the 
 outlines of these formations will indicate, for the two 
 corresponding epochs, the boundaries between the 
 already dried land and the ocean in which these rocks 
 were forming. Extract from Cosmos Page 286. 
 
 Now this agrees with the theory of this work. 
 
 I have shewn in the work that the depositions of the 
 ocean are amply competent to account for the forma¬ 
 tion of all the solid bodies of our earth, see page 51 of 
 this work, I conclude therefore that the gaseous or 
 nebulous matter supposed by some to have formed 
 the solid bodies, have not been condensed into solid, 
 but merely into a liquid form, and have thus produced 
 the ocean of Genesis (as by 1st and 2nd verses, 1st chap¬ 
 ter) which was designed by the creator to form the 
 earth, and accordingly he replenished that ocean with 
 animal and vegetable life, whose remains after death, and 
 whose labours during their term of life, have formed 
 all the solid bodies of the earth by deposition. 
 
 “ means of the causal connection existing among all natural pheno- 
 “ mena, to the distribution of solids and fluids into the continents 
 “ and seas which constitute the upper crust of oui planet. We 
 u here touch upon a point of contact between geological and geo- 
 “ graphical geognosy which would constitute the complete history 
 “ of the form and extent of continents. Th^ limitation of the solid 
 “ by the fluid parts of the earth’s surface, and their mutual rela- 
 “ tions of area, have varied very considerably in the long series of 
 
 ifferent, for instance, when 
 deposited on the inclined 
 old red sandstone; w r hen 
 “ lias and oolite lay on a substratum of keuper and muschelkalk, 
 u and the chalk rested on the slopes of green sandstone and Jura 
 “ limestone. 
 
 Here then it would appear by these two last paragraphs the 
 author of the cosmos considers the rocky formations to have been 
 produced, not by the condensation of a few gasses, but much more 
 reasonably by the depositions of the water of those seas. 
 
 “ geognostic epochs, lhey were very di 
 “ carboniferous strata were horizontally 
 “ beds of the mountain limestone and 
 
m 
 
 Whilst therefore the processes of nature in our globe, 
 appear, so fully competent for its formation, what 
 need is there to resort to formation by the imaginary 
 condensation of a few primary gasses in the nebulae 1 
 and which have indeed been nearly overthrown, by the 
 recent discoveries of modern astronomy made by the 
 six feet diameter telescope of Earl Rosse. 
 
 I now conclude this work, with some observations 
 on the theory I have offered in the 6th edition pages 
 148-9 of elaboratories of the gasses to supply the waste 
 of the sun’s light and heat. The great Sir Isaac 
 Newton was of opinion to the end of his days, that the 
 waste by the incessant emanation of heat and light 
 from the sun, v» r as restored by means of the comets. 
 His foundation for this opinion would appear to have 
 arisen from his observations that the comets always 
 went round the sun before they retired from it. In 
 his days the gasseous sciences were unknown, but now 
 we know the tails of the comets must be gasseous, for 
 many of them are 50 to 100 millions of miles in length 
 and of great tenuity, and w'e have shewn in our adden¬ 
 dum page 152, that the appearance of these tails are 
 quite changed as they recede from the sun, making it 
 most probable that their former tails have been absorbed 
 by the sun for the great purpose of restoring his waste 
 of light and heat. 
 
 Being aware of these facts, the question upon reflec¬ 
 tion, naturally arose in my mind, whence could the 
 comets obtain this supply of gasseous matter 1 that it 
 must have been taken up by them in the course of the 
 stupendous extent of some of their orbits, appeared to 
 me self evident, and on the contemplation of the im¬ 
 mense numbers and distances of these nebulous bodies, 
 all of which are more or less luminous, and therefore 
 contain light, it appeared to me I say, that this was 
 that part of the distant regions of space which was 
 most likely to furnish these gasses to the comets, whose 
 powers of attraction acting on their nebulae, have drawn 
 from them these gasses to form their tails. 
 
 It is impossible to suppose that this gasseous matter, 
 could exist unconfined in space, because then the 
 
204 
 
 oxygen and hydrogen gasses might intermix and 
 would that moment be made subject to combustion by 
 the electric fluid, and thus endanrer the planetary 
 bodies of the systems they might encounter. 
 
 T therefore formed my theory on the idea that some 
 of these distant nebulrn were constructed by the creator 
 into vast elaboratories, some for the formation of oxygen 
 gas, and others for the formation of hydrogen, and that 
 different comets were then charged with these separate 
 gasses respectively. 
 
 Now as it is known that neither of these gasses when 
 separate are at all combustible, no danger could then 
 happen in the courses of these comets towards the suns 
 to doposit their gasses there. 
 
 But if our sun be thus restored to its powers of ema¬ 
 nation of heat and light, we may reason from the uni- 
 formitv of nature’s laws that all the stars (now allowed 
 to be suns) are so supplied by the comets and so immen¬ 
 sely vast must be the supply of the gasses required for . 
 this stupendous purpose, that I have concluded in my 
 theory of the comets, that the hand of the creator alone 
 can be resorted to for this supply ; and therefore, that 
 a present unceasing act of creation is carried on by 
 him in these elaboratories to maintain the existence of 
 the heavens and the earth he created at the " beginning.” 
 
 “ Newton affirms (and who would doubt when New¬ 
 ton affirms) “ that the same quantity of force could not 
 be preserved in space; he even thinks that the universe 
 would perish at length if the governor of the universe 
 did not take care from time to time to renew its 
 resources.” Monde Primitif Paris. 
 
 Thus should our theory of the comets and nebulEe 
 be in future substantiated and confirmed, as I may 
 I believe, be allowed to say my theory of the sun has 
 been, by several eminent astronomers and now chiefly 
 by the great discovery made by the British Association 
 for the diffusion of science, as above narrated, we may 
 then consider we have indeed arrived THRO’ NA¬ 
 TURE, UP TO NATURE’S GOI). 
 
205 
 
 INDEX: 
 
 REVISED FOR NINTH EDITION 
 
 page. 
 
 Preface to first edition. 
 
 Ditto to second edition.. • * * r* 
 
 Ditto to third edition. }l 
 
 Ditto to sixth edition. 
 
 Purposes of Ge ology.* * ’ *. r: 
 
 Some account of the Author.*.*....!.**** oo 
 
 Insufficiency of the Chaotic System of the ancients 
 to account for the Geological appearances of 
 the Earth...' n 9 
 
 Formation of the Primitive Earths, Salts*' *and ’ 
 
 Metals, by the Vegetative Process.' 
 
 Our earth formed in a Fluid.* * * * .f 
 
 The Doctrine of Chance Formation Refuted.... 95 
 
 Observations on the Doctrine of the Materiality of 
 the Soul.... J 9Q 
 
 The Ourang Outang—Brain similar Vo Man’s .* .* .* * at 
 Age of the World by Boubee’s Geol. Ponul 
 Paris, 1833. 1 ' 
 
 This supposed Age explained and reconciled to 
 the Mosaic account by our construction of 
 
 first verse of Genesis. -i s 
 
 Extract from Dr. Chalmer’s Natural Theology* .*.’ 33 
 
 Discoveries of Black, Priestly, and Lavoisier ..35 
 I he Combustion of the Gases “ at the Beginning.” 
 
 produced the Universal Waters of Genesis, ib. 36 
 The Universal Ocean formed by Laws of Attraction ib 
 Account of Encke’s Comet. .{~ 
 
 Mode of Formation of the Solid Parts 'of o’ur Earth ib 
 Order and Succession of Rocks and Oro-anic 
 Remains composing Crust of the Earth V.... 39 
 
 Extract from Sharon Turner’s Sacred History, on 
 Marine Plants. ^ ^ 
 
 Cause of Marine Productions being found above 
 the level of the sea to be sought in the ori¬ 
 ginal formation of the Waters of Genesis.. .42 3 
 s ’ 
 
206 
 
 Carbon the solidifying principle of Vegetables... 45 
 
 Oxygen exists in a solid state in all the Oxydes.. 47 
 
 The Earths, Metals, and Minerals, found in 
 Vegetables, are produced by the Vegetative 
 Process.... 51 
 
 A Method suggested of forming Nutritive Matter 
 
 not yet known to mankind. 49 
 
 Siliceous Earth proved by Professor Linnaeus to 
 
 be the result of the Vegetative Process..... 50 
 
 Curious extract from a work on " The Animals 
 and Monsters of our Oceans,” proving that 
 the offspring of one Herring is sufficient to 
 form a mass of matter equal to ten of our 
 Globes.. .*..... 51 
 
 The Granite Mass formed like the secondary and 
 tertiary strata, by the deposition of Vegetable 
 and Animal Matter.. .52, 3 
 
 Extract from Lyell on Shells in the earth. 53 
 
 Rev. Mr. Fairholme’s opinion on the Granite 
 
 Mass answered. 54 
 
 On the supposed antiquity of Mount AStna. 56 
 
 Salt Formations. ib. 
 
 Means by which the Sands of the Sea and Earth 
 
 have been formed. 58 
 
 Extract from Evans’s Agriculture, proving the 
 formation of Silica by the processes of Vege¬ 
 tation..... ib. 
 
 Observations supporting the Theory of Formation 
 
 of this Earth. 59 
 
 Extract from S_iaron Turner’s Sacred History of 
 the world, proving the povyer of the Vege¬ 
 tative Functions to produce the Primary 
 
 Earths. 60 
 
 Great part of the present surface of the Earth 
 derived from the remains of animals that 
 constituted the population of ancient seas, 
 
 (Dr. Buckland).. 1 
 
 Animalcules form extensive strata of Polishing 
 
 Slate in Bohemia... ib. 
 
207 
 
 The cause of entire genera of animals disap¬ 
 pearing in the Formations accounted for by 
 
 our theory of Formation of the Strata.63, 4< 
 
 The theory in this work of the mode of Formation 
 
 of the Solid Bodies of the Earth stated.64, 5 
 
 The Wisdom of the Creator shewn in the Internal 
 
 Fires of the earth...... 66 
 
 Observations on the Researches of Cuvier in 
 
 Geology.....66 a 68 
 
 Cause of the Creation of Marine Plants not being 
 
 mentioned in Genesis, 1st chapter. 69 
 
 Elucidation of the Theory of the Earth.. 70 
 
 Observations on Mr. Mantell’s Wonders of 
 
 Geology.76, 7 
 
 The theory of this work, of the Marine Formation 
 
 of Coal, supported by Maletrenck. 78 
 
 Theory of the Sun’s Formation. 80 
 
 A short account of Pneumatic Chemistry. ib. 
 
 Heat and Light. 81 
 
 Remarks on Buffon’s Theory of the Earth and 
 
 Planets. 82 
 
 Attraction of Matter.. 84 
 
 Cause of the Cold on High Mountains explained 
 
 from Terrestrial causes. 88 
 
 An idea of the cause of the Projectile Force..... 89 
 
 Cause of the Tides explained by our Theory of 
 
 the Gaseous Medium in infinite space. ib. 
 
 Means bv which the Waste of the Fire of our Sun 
 •» 
 
 and that of the other Stars or Suns are res¬ 
 tored (see also Appendix No. II ). 91 
 
 Enck’s Comet, from Whewell’s Bridgewater Tre- 
 tise, supports the theory of the aeriform me¬ 
 dium of this work. ib* 
 
 Observations on Hershell’s idea of the opaqueness 
 
 of the Sun. 95 
 
 Two Queries presented to Men of Science in sup¬ 
 port of our theory of the Spots on the Sun.. 96 
 
 Extract from Sir Richard Phillip’s Theory. 97 
 
 Do. from Sir John Herschell’s Astronomy of 
 
 last year. 99 
 
 Do. from Graham’s Elements of Chemistry.. 100 
 
208 
 
 The Dissolution of the Globe considered from its 
 
 existing Phenomena. 101 
 
 Recombination of the separated Elements to 
 
 form New Heavenly Bodies.104,5 
 
 The Immortality of the Soul of Man drawn as a 
 conclusion from the Indestructibility of the 
 
 Laws of Nature .. 107 
 
 Table of Geological Formations.109 
 
 Appendix, containing the following Notes. 110 
 
 Note. 1—Observatations on Boffon’s Theory of 
 
 the Earth... ib. 
 
 The late discoveries of land in the South 
 Sea, by Capt. Ross, foretold in first 
 edition of this work, 1836. Ill 
 
 Notes to second edition . 
 
 Note 6.—Sir Isaac Newton on gravity, from Good’s 
 Book of Nature, shewing how Gra¬ 
 vity is caused by the Ethereal 
 Gaseous Medium carrying the Earth 
 and Planets round the Sun. 119 
 
 Note to Sixth Edition . 
 
 Note l.—Shewing how M. Arago probably for¬ 
 med his conclusion that our Sun 
 
 is a “Grand Mass of Gass” Agglome¬ 
 rated in Space. 121 
 
 Note 2.—Shewing how our Sun (being, according 
 to our theory, a grand mass of Gas) 
 is fixed in the regions of space. 122 
 
 INDEX TO APPENDIX NO. II. 
 
 Extra Matter for the Fourth Edition. 126 
 
 Extract from Lardner’s Lectures. ib. 
 
 Our Sun’s surface proved by Arago to be an 
 
 Ocean of Flame.127,-129 
 
 Extra Matter for Fifth Edition. 133 
 
 Extract from Lyal’s Principles of Geology con¬ 
 troverting Central Fire... ib. 
 
209 
 
 Extract from a work containing the Life of 
 M. Arago, and his induction “That the Sun 
 is a Grand Mass of Gas Agglomerated in 
 
 Space.”... 135 
 
 Extra Matter for Sixth Edition. 137 
 
 Extract from London Globe and Dr, Scoresby, 
 giving an account of Lord Rosses great 
 
 discovery. 138 
 
 Electric Theory of the Sun refuted. 142 
 
 Number of Comets computed in our system.145 
 
 Cause assigned for the Gravitation of the Planets 
 round the Sun, considering him as a Body 
 
 of Gaseous Matter... 146 
 
 Elaboratories of the Gases formed by the Creator 
 in the Nebulae of the distant Region of 
 
 Space. 148 
 
 Recapitulation of our Theory of the purposes of 
 
 the Nebula? and Comets. 151 
 
 Extract from the “Cosmos ’ 5 of Baron Von 
 
 Humboldt. 154 
 
 The New Planet, as a proof of our Theory of the 
 
 Sun... 155 
 
 Presentation of the Extra Matter of this work to 
 
 the Public and to Men of Science. 158 
 
 Supplement to 7th edition... 159 
 
 Extra Matter for 8th edition. 175 
 
 Addition to 8th edition. 187 
 
 Extra Matter for 9th edition. 193 
 
 List of Subscribers to this work.210 a 212 
 
 • Notice to the Subscribers 
 To a work to be entitled 
 
 Observations on some late Events in the recent Session 
 “ oj the Provincial Parliament, and on the suppo- 
 “ sed intention of the Imperial Parliament to unite 
 “ all the Provinces of British North America in 
 u Federal Union 
 
 THIS WORK HOW UNDER SUBSCRIPTION 
 will it is hoped be shortly in print. 
 
 Quebec, May 1855. HENRY TAYLOR. 
 
 s2 
 
210 
 
 NAMES OF SUBSCRIBERS TO THIS WORK. 
 
 QUEBEC, 1840. 
 
 Hon. Judge Cochrane ; Messrs. J. Hale, M. J. Wil¬ 
 son, J. Daintry, D. Wilkie, M. Bell, J, S. Campbell, 
 E. S. King, J. Grieves,—Clapham, F. B. Lindsay, D. 
 McCarthy, J. G. Irvine, T. Cary, Edw. Burroughs, 
 Louis Panet, T. A. Stayner, George Augustus Bedford, 
 H. Gowen, J. Musson, A. Macnider, George Hall, 
 James Bouchette, Rev. R. R. Burrage, M. White, L. A. 
 Cannon, T. G. Cathro, G. Pemberton, John Neilson, 
 Alexander Hadden, William McMaster, Thos. Bickell, 
 George Mountain, A. McGill, A. Wilson, W. B. 
 Jefferys, D. Logie, C. T. Brown, W. Le Cheminant, 
 L. Ballingall, J. Hobrough, John C. Nixon, Wm. 
 McGrath, John Codville, John Bowles, jr., J. Childs, jr., 
 G. Fassio, H. Carwell, J. Bolton, A. Laurie, David D. 
 Young, H. Temple, P. Pelletier, W. Marsden, M. 
 Parent, Quebec Sy., Henry S. Scott, G. W. Wickstead, 
 Edward Gingras, W. Power, James Seaton, Ebenezer 
 Baird, Thos. Ruston, H. Murray, Jas. Smillie, G. 
 Turner, Edw. Wade, John Campbell, Richard May, 
 A. H. Poole, William Paterson, W. Bowles, W. Nor¬ 
 man, John Cameron, E. Hartigan, John Racey, Jolin 
 Lambly, Duncan McCallum, Dr. Jos. Painchaud, P. 
 Holt, M. Grigory, Geo. Hall, Alex. Begg, Arch. Camp¬ 
 bell, V. Doucet, George Futvoye, A. Parrott, Ed. 
 Philips, W. Morris, D. McQuilken, R. Barclay, C. 
 Leek, W. Bignell, P. P. D. Lachance, Dr. Morrin, Mr. 
 Baillargeon, ptre., E. Vivian, William Walker, P. 
 Holland, Mr. C. F. Cazeau, Dr. F. Martin, Steward 
 Scott, Rev. J. Brown, Alex. Henderson, Joseph Petit- 
 clerc, Chas. Kemp, Jas. Burnett, E. G. Cannon, John 
 Kane, John Thompson, A. Stuart, Jun., Daniel Me 
 Callum, Chas. Gortley, Thomas Jackson, C. Gethings, 
 E. Autrobus, J. Lane, jun., Asst. Com. Gen., Depy. do., 
 C. Morgan, P. H. Mildmay, A. J. Russell, A. W. Bell, 
 Rev. H. D. Sewell, Dr. Fargues,L. G. Bailliarge, Advo¬ 
 cate, W. B. Lindsay, H. M. Blacklock, Rev. F. J. Lundy, 
 E. Chapman, R. Stewart, James Hossack, P. Patterson, 
 
211 
 
 Wm. Baxter, Rice Meredith, D. Morgan, Rev. G. 
 Mackie, J. O. Brunet, J. Munn, P. Piton, T. H. Oliver, 
 J. E. Oliver, Edw. Oliver, F. J. Young, F. Young, F. 
 Bourke, James Clearihue, R. C. Todd, Doctor Raccy, 
 A. W. Morin, John Child, John Jeffery, James Arms¬ 
 trong, Charles E. Pratt, J. Bacquet, Mrs. Glass, E. Tay¬ 
 lor, P. Le Sueur, W. Drum, Andrew King, Samuel 
 Wright, W. McAlister, J. Le Lacheur, G. Fawcett. H. 
 D. Thielcke, W. S. Henderson, J. Bracken, sen., 
 Thomas Braunlie, J W Pezet, Regis Roy, R Macfarlane, 
 Paul Lepper, Artimas Jackson, J D Lefurgy, W D 
 Dupont, Mrs Hendry, R H Scott, W Andrews, W Lane, 
 Rev W Torrance, Ralph Hunter, J J Lowndes, P Len- 
 festy, Dunbar Ross, C Stuart, G D Balzaretti, A M 
 Vidal, H Black, Jas Laurin, J H Kerr, C S Bourne, Mr 
 Benjamin, J M Fraser, J Jill, Mrs Young, Chas Smith, 
 Anthy. Anderson, Doctor Kelly, A McDonald, George 
 Black, Wm Thompson, Henry Jessup, H Dyde, Joseph 
 Legare, fils W K Rayside, Rev Dr Wilkie, Rev Mr 
 Wood, Rev Mr Burrox. 
 
 LIST OF SUBSCRIBERS TO THIRD EDITION. 
 
 MONTREAL, 1842. 
 
 Hon Judge Pyke, Hon Peter McGill, Messrs M J 
 Hayes, John Boston,—Gettes, Jas Knapp, N B Doucet, 
 Alex Dyer, W Murray, J Thornton, J George, D 
 Smiliie, R D Bodley, T Nye, H Honslow, M Solomon, 
 M McGrath, James Hughes, John P Grant, S H An¬ 
 derson, R THowden, J Bell, A F Holmes, J Ross, J 
 Jeffrey, J Hutchison, C Goldworth, H J J, J J Phelan, 
 T M Tobin, J Gilmour, W Francis, jr, J Bowman, J 
 Rattray, J J Day, R Huchins, A Furnis, C Rollitt, H 
 Stuart, M Somerville, —Mackay,—Hughes, R Gerard, 
 W F Grasett, L A Oliver, —Dyde, W Gunn, T Osgood, 
 H P Thompson, C D Proctor,—Breckenridge,—Scott, 
 F Fraser, H K Bethune, C Dorwin, J Playfair, —Joseph 
 —Oldham,— Whipple,— J White, J Mills, Colonel 
 
212 
 
 McLeod, J McDonald, ABenning, jun, Hon C S De 
 Bleury, Mr Mackay, W Sinclair, Robert Mclndoe, 
 Allison McDonald, A McDonald, T Hounslow, R E 
 Dep, Mr Mack, E McGuire, A Gundlack, Geo, C 
 ReifFeinstein, R H Hamilton, Rev Mr Torrens, Mr 
 Wells, Mr Orr, The Ilight Rev, Bishop of Montreal. 
 
 Subscribers to the Ninth Edition of Mr. Taylor’s 
 
 System of Creation. 
 
 In Montreal near Two Hundred in 1854. 
 
 In Quebec and Neighbourhood as follows.— 54-5 
 
 The Governor in Chief, Bishop of Quebec, Canadian 
 Archbishop, Le Superieur, Mr Ryan, W S Sewell, 
 Mr Anderson, Govt. Office, Edw Burroughs, Doctor 
 Marsdeu, Keating Messenger, Legislative Council, 
 Revd Mr Pollard, Mr J R Eckhart, Felix Fortier, Ed 
 G Stewart, C Fremont, J C Stokes, J Devines, W 
 Himsworth, Secretary Office, W D Campbell, J B 
 Stanton, Judge Caron, Chabot, Public Works of Canada, 
 J L Langton m p p W A Leggo, junr, C M 
 Montizambert, J P Russell, Isaac Lewine, W Le- 
 cheminant, E Russell, E Joseph Mr Reiffernstein, 
 Spragg, Mountain, Brown, m p p. Larvvill, m p p. Sol 
 Gen Ross, Mr Laurent, Agr Office, Faribault, Futvoy, 
 G Talbot, Hon Mr Morin, G Southwick, m p. 
 Crown Land Dept, T Mason, J Wilson, E S Anderson, 
 J Hall, Judge O’Reilly Hamilton, Mr ChasTache, m pp 
 Chas Stewart, J Dufresne, m p p. Judge Panet, Hon W 
 Walker and 8 others Members of Library Committee, 
 J P Crysler, m p p. Dundas, Mr Cbauveau, mpp.D 
 Tache, m p p. Mr. Tetu, Gov Office, Hon Mr Pemberton, 
 Quebec Bank, Laurie, Esqr, Merchants Exchange, Mr 
 Cochrane, Lovell, Lamoureux, W Boutton,T M Smiley, 
 J Quin, G C Gibson, E Montizambert, J J McCauley, 
 Toronto, Cameron, John Musson, M G Hall, Court 
 of Appeals, Thorborough Clerk at Prothonotary’s Office. 
 Mr John Lovell, Hinton, clerk at McPherson’s Lower 
 Town, A V Pelletier, at D. MacPherson. 
 
Erratas in 9th Edition. 
 
 In title page, for “Discovries” read Discoveries, and for 
 “compasses’* read compass. 
 
 Page 60, line 15, from foot, for “basses” read bases. 
 
 Page 91, line 6, for page 28 read page 148 and line 13, 
 for 21 and 22, read page 151. 
 
 Page 94, line 10 from foot, after fire read “ that is 
 by oxygen and hydrogen. 
 
 Page 124, last line for “ remanis” read remains. 
 
 Page 128, line 15, from foot, for “ in” read is. 
 
 Page 130, line 12, for “ every” read very. 
 
 Page 168, line 9, from foot, for “cembustion” read com¬ 
 bustion. 
 
 Page 175, line 7, for 2 and 3, read page 129. 
 
 Page 178, line 1st, “ If ” misplaced. 
 
 Page 178, line 2, for “ they go” read if they go. 
 
 Page 179, line 10, for “ uses” read sees. 
 
 Page 196, line 2 for “ elective” read electric. 
 
 Page 204, line 3, for “ endanrer” read endanger. 
 

 
 
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