222 STUDIES OF NATURE. 



Commentators. Such is the weak nefs of oiir irt- 

 telleftual powers, that we are incapable of con- 

 ceiving or imagining any thing beyond what Na- 

 ture aftually exhibits to us. They are grofsly 

 miftaken^ accordingly, when they affirm, for in- 

 ftance, that, when the Earth was in a flate of 

 perfection, the Sun was conftantly in the Equa- 

 tor j that the days and nights were perpetually 

 equal ; that there was an eternal Spring ; that the 

 whole face of the ground was fmooth and level, 

 and fo on. 



Were the Sun conftantly in the Equator, I 

 queftion whether a fingle fpot of the Globe would 

 be habitable. Firfl, the Torrid Zone would be 

 burnt up by his fervent heat, as has been already 

 demonftrated ; the two icy Zones would extend 

 much farther than they do at prefent ; the tempe* 

 rate Zones would be at leafl as cold toward their 

 middle, as they are with us at the vernal Equinox; 

 and this temperature would prevent the greatefl 

 part of fruits from coming to maturity. I know 

 not where the perpetual Spring would be; but, 

 if it could any where exift, never could Au- 

 tumn there exift likewife. The cafe would be ftill 

 worfe were there neither rocks nor mountains on 

 the furface of the Globe, for not one river, nay 

 not a brook of water would flow over the whole 

 Earth. There would be neither Ihelter nor reflex, 



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