222 STUDIES OF NATURE. 



9. Cum ponerem nubem veftimentum ejus, & 

 caligine, illud, quafipannis infantise, obvolverem? 



10. Circumdedi illud tcrminis meis, & pofui 

 veftem & oftia : 



11. Et dixi : ufque hue venies, fed non procè- 

 des ampliùs; & hic confringes tumentes fludlus 

 tuos. 



12. Numquid poft ortum tuum prsecepifti di- 

 liculo, & oflendifti Aurorœ *, locum fuum ? 



13. Et tenuifti concutiens extrema Terrœ, & 

 excuffifhi impios ex ea ? 



14. Reftituetur ut lutum -f- fignaculum, & ftabit 

 ficut veftimentum. 



15. Auferecur ab impiis lux fua, & brachium 

 excelfum confringetur. 



* Aurora locum fuum, the place of the Aurora. The Aurora 

 Borealis is, perhaps, here intended. The cold of the Poles pro- 

 duces the Aurora, for there is fcarce any fuch thing between 

 the Tropics. The Pole is, accordingly, properly fpeaking, the 

 natural place of the Aurora. In the verfe following, the ex- 

 preffion, tenuijîi concutiens extrema Terra, evidently charafterizes 

 the total eflfufions of the polar ices, fituated at the extremities of 

 the Earth, which occafioned the Univerfal Deluge. 



t Rejlituetur ut lutum fignaculum. This verfe is very obfcure 

 in the Tranflation of M. de Saci. It appears to me here defcrip- 

 tive of the foffil fliells, which, over the whole Earth, are monu- 

 ments of the Deluge. 



16. Num- 



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