LETTER I. INSUFFICIENCY and Contrariety of various modern Systems on the Formation and Structure of the Earth. - Coincidence of ancient Traditions with the Scriptural Account of the Creation and Deluge. Attempt to prove from these, and from the Infancy of Population in Times not very remote, the Reality of a general Deluge, and its Antiquity not far re- Analysis and Refutation of Mr. Bailly's first System of the Origin of Na- tions, and all Population derived from the Poles, deduced from ancient Antiquity of the World; and particularly of Mr. Bailly's fecond System, founded on an Indian Era pretended to be fixed on real Astronomical Obfer- of Further Attempt to explain the Mosaical Account of the first Formation of the Universe by the fuccessive Application of the Fundamental Laws of State and Aspect of the Antediluvian Wor'd, and Changes cperated by the Deluge. Cursory Obfervations on Doctor Hutton's New Theory of the Conclusions Notes and Illustrations to Letter IX. 599-602 THOUGHTS ON THE STRUCTURE OF THIS GLO В Е. LETTER I. Infufficiency and Contrariety of various modern Systems on the Formation and Structure of the Earth. Coincidence of antient Traditions with the Scriptural Account of the Creation and Deluge.-Attempt to prove from these, and from the Infancy of Population in Times not very remote, the Reality of a general Deluge, and its Antiquity not far removed beyond the Date usually affigned to it. SIR, IN the agreeable tour we made together in Switzerland, the aspect of its mountains stretching on all fides range behind range, pile over pile, in vast and rude magnificence; the various and often fingular disposition of their strata; the frequent marks of ruin and diflo B dislocation visible on their shattered flanks; the correspondent angles of the rocks bordering their vallies, apparently excavated by torrents which could bear no proportion to their present scanty rills, gave occafion to. ruminate on their original formation, and the convulfions which they must have fince experienced. Our reflections on these objects frequently led us to converse on the formation and revolutions of the earth itself. As we failed along the frequent lakes of this wonderful country, the undoubted marks of waveworn rocks on their opposite sides, many toises above the present level of their waters and much above their possible reach, shewed us plainly that those immenfe cavities had once been filled with them to a much greater height. This circumstance strongly connected the changes wrought in these high regions with those which must have consequently happened on the lower surface of adjacent countries. The multiplicity of these objects, whilst it afforded constant materials for new reflections, gave us little time for discussion; and we then mutually promised each other to communicate our ideas more at leisure on these interesting and difficult subjects, on which are daily built so many different systems. I am far, I own, from poffeffing all the various parts of science which would be requisite to treat this subject as it deserves; but from the perusal of antient history, from the writings of others, and the reflections which their various systems have suggested, as well as from my own observations, I have framed to myself fome ideas, which in confequence of my promise I shall venture to communicate, in hopes 1 at at least that it may engage you at some time to comply with yours. I must confess that I have yet met with no system amongst the vaunted philosophers of your nation which appears to me satisfactory. Their several authors labour to account for the whole order and disorder which appear in our planet (for both are strongly marked) by one fingle elementary cause operating during an infinity of ages. In consequence of this predilection for a single agent, whether fire or water, they frequently see their systems exposed to embarraffing dilemmas, or overturned by contradictory facts. I should rather think that it is by admitting several co-operating or successive causes, that we may at length form some plausible idea of the original formation of the present structure of our globe, and of the revolutions which must have occasioned its actual dislocated state. I say plausible, because I think natural philosophy, whatever progress it has made, yet too far from that perfection of which it may be capable, to afford any thing very decisive on the subject. That it ever will be able to attain any thing like certainty, is much to be doubted. Almost all the authors of these new systems, to conduct the works of Nature to their present state, require an almost infinite series of ages. Great alterations operated by a general deluge are induf B 2 |