60 On the Terrestrial Arrangements connected with 



not been endowed with the peculiar property of attaining its 

 maximum density at about 39° Fah. In the contrary case, 

 nothing would have been better, but everything so much the 

 worse ; and we ought, therefore, to give praise to our Creator, 

 who, by such simple means, has conferred on mankind such 

 great and everlasting benefits. Job, the hero of that well- 

 known ancient poem, seems to allude to this when he says, 

 chap, xxxviii. 29, 30, " Out of whose womb came the ice 1 The 

 waters are hid as with a stone, and the face of the deep is 

 frozen." 



The atheist may object to this, and protest that the water 

 received this property by a mere caprice of nature. But what 

 right have we so to call that beautiful arrangement, whereby 

 such important ends are accomplished? He who does not 

 recognise therein the power and exceeding mercy of God, will 

 never find it elsewhere. 



Let us now turn away from that picture of desolation, and once 

 more direct our attention to contemplate that wise arrangement 

 by which such great things have been effected. A continued 

 frost is requisite, in order to reduce the temperature of deep 

 lakes to 39° Fah. If the frost continues still longer, a thin 

 layer of water at the surface begins to undergo the pro^ 

 cess of freezing. The crust of ice that is forming slowly in- 

 creases downwards, but, on the appearance of thaw, its growth 

 is immediately arrested. Under this cover the fish con- 

 tinue in a lively and active condition, because the region in 

 which they move about preserves, winter and summer, the 

 same temperature. A few warm days of spring are sufficient 

 to melt the ice, and to destroy every trace of the winter. 



The time which is required in order to cool the lakes down 

 to 39° Fah., and to continue that process on their surface, is 

 proportional to their depth. The freezing of deep lakes is, 

 therefore, a very rare occurrence. It has happened but once 

 within these fifty-four years, namely, in the year 1830, that 

 the Lake of Constance was frozen over during the severe frost 

 in January and February. It was almost completely covered 

 with ice, with the exception, however, of a small circle opposite 

 to Frederichshafen, which, being exactly over the spot where 

 it is deepest, presented an open space, scattered over with 



