STUDY IV. 



233 



" lake is gulped up, and throws itfelf into the Sea 

 *' on the oppofite fide of the mountain. The 

 " Greeks call this place Catabathra : (the whirl- 

 " pools.) Strabo, fpeaking of this lake, fays, 

 ** neverthelefs, that there appeared no outlet in his 

 ^' time, unlefs it be, that the Cephifus, fometimes," 

 " forced a pafTage under ground. But it is only 

 " neceflary to read the account which he gives of 

 " the changes that take place in this morafs, not 

 " to be furprifed at what he has affirmed of it's 

 " outlets. Mr. IVheeler, who went to examine 

 ** this fpot after my departure from Greece, fays 

 " it is one of the greateft curiofities in the coun- 

 *^ try, the mountain being near ten miles broad, 

 '* and almoft entirely one mafs of folid rock." 



I have no doubt that feveral objedlions may be 

 flarted againft the hafty explanation which has 

 ■ been given of the courfe of the Tides, of the 

 Earth's motion in the Ecliptic, and of the Univer- 

 fal Deluge, by the effufions of the polar ices ; but, 

 I have the courage to repeat it, thefe phyfical 

 caufes piefent themfelves with a higher degree of 

 probability, of fimplicity, and of conformity to the 

 general progrefs of Nature, than the aftronomical 

 caufes, fo far beyond our reach, by which at- 

 tempts have been made to explain them. It be* 

 longs to the impartial Reader to decide. If he is 

 on his guaid againft the novelty of fyftems, which 



are 



