THEORY of the EARtH. 



IT is neceffary for a living or inhabited world, that this 

 ihould confifl of land and water. It is alfo neceffary, that the 

 land fhould be folid and ftable, refitting, with great power, the 

 violent efforts of the ocean j and, at the fame time, that this 

 folid land fhould be refolved by the influence of the fun and 

 atmofphere, fb as to decay, and thus become a foil for vegeta- 

 tion. But thefe general intentions are perfectly fulfilled in the 

 conftitution of our earth, which has been now invefligated. 

 This great body being formed of different mixed maffes, ha- 

 ving various degrees of hardnefs and folubility, proper foil for 

 plants is fupplied from the gradual refolution of the folid parts ; 

 fertility in thofe foils arifes from the mixture of different ele- 

 mentary fubftances ; and ftability is procured to that vegetable 

 world, by the induration of certain bodies, thofe rocks and 

 flones, which protect -the fofter maffes of clay and foil. 



IN this manner, alfo, will eafily be explained thofe natural ap- 

 pearances which diverfify the furface of the earth for the -ufe 

 of plants and animals, and thofe objects which beautify the 

 face of nature for the contemplation of mankind. Such are, 

 the diftinctions of mountains and valleys, of lakes and rivers, 

 of dry barren defarts and rich watered plains, of rocks which 

 ftand apparently unimpaired, by the lapfe of time, and fands 

 which fluctuate with the winds and tides. All thefe are the ef- 

 fects of fleady caufes j each of thefe has its proper purpofe in 

 the fyftem of the earth ; and in that fyftem is contained ano- 

 ther, which is that of living growing bodies, and of animated 

 beings. 



BUT, befides this, man, the intellectual being, has, in this 

 fubject of the mineral kingdom, the means of gratifying the 

 : defire of knowledge, a faculty by which he is diftinguifhed 

 from the animal, and by which he improves his mind in know- 

 ing caufes. Man is not fatisfied, like the brute, in feeing 

 things which are ; he feeks to know how things have been, 

 ; and what they are to be. It is with pleafure that he obferves 



order 



