346 Prof. Hensloto on the Deluge, [Nov. 



extent sufficient to allow for the present altitude of the highest 

 mountains above the surface of the ocean, 1 reply that this must 

 be a subject for future observation ; but I think this difficulty, 

 which at first sight appears so startling, will diminish consider- 

 ably by considering what would be the quantity of water suffi- 

 cient to cover the tops of the highest mountains at this present 

 moment. The greatest altitude of any known mountain is 

 about five miles, which is but trifling compared with the radius 

 of the earth, which is above 4000 miles. Let a person take a 

 three- inch globe in his hand, and consider how thin would be 

 the film of water sufficient to cover the particles of fine dust 

 which are attached to its surface. It should seem also that 

 those portions of the earth which were partly saturated by 

 moisture before the Deluge would absorb a still greater quantity 

 upon the rise of the ocean, and thus a further diminution might 

 be accounted for. Suppose a basin made of plaster of paris, 

 chalk, or any other porous material, to be partly filled- with 

 water, the sides will immediately imbibe a certain portion, and 

 the surface will fall. When the water has reached its greatest 

 depression, fill the basin, and you will find the sides still capa- 

 ble of absorbing an additional quantity, and the surface will not 

 long remain on a level with the rim. I need scarcely observe 

 that the earth appears to be in every part more or less saturated 

 with water. The most solid rocks contain it in great abundance, 

 and the operations of the miner are too frequently impeded by 

 its presence ; but I believe that few, if any, observations have 

 hitherto been made with the view of obtaining an estimate of the 

 mean quantity at different depths, or in different descriptions of 

 rock. 



This view of the subject perfectly coincides with the account 

 given in Genesis of the gradual manner in which the waters 

 subsided. *' And the waters returned from off'the earth continually J' 

 " And the waters decreased continually until the tenth month." 

 This would hardly have been the case if we are to suppose with 

 some, that there were large empty receptacles prepared for them 

 towards the centre of the earth, intp which they suddenly 

 retired. 



I should scarcely venture to allude to the manner in 

 which we may suppose that the waters were brought upon the 

 earth, but that I wish to observe upon some other phenomena 

 connected with the supposition of their having been added to 

 the earth's surface, or, in the language of scripture, ** increased 

 upon the face of the earth." 



Observation appears to have estabhshed that the rise of the 

 diluvian waters was gradual, and that with respect to the present 

 surface of the land they came in descending torrents. And this 

 agrees distinctly with one part of revelation, which states, that 

 " the windows of heaven were opened, and the rain was upon the 

 ^arth forty days and forty nights," " and the waters prevailed, 



