AT THE earth's SURFACE. 4S3 



and cold, the absorption and expulsion of humidity from the 

 same causes, the distending force of congelation, and the rapid 

 precipitation and flow of water, which are the principal, or ra- 

 ther the sole disintegrating processes of general or uniform 

 operation, being the results of it. When inequality of tempe- 

 rature, therefore, shall cease, or be restrained within much nar- 

 rower limits, an order may be established of less vicissitude, 

 and less waste, than that which now prevails, and the stability 

 of which may even remain unimpaired for indefinite time. 



This view, if it is not carrying the speculation too far, may 

 even be extended to all the parts. of our solar system, and the 

 condition of each planet may be connected in permanence 

 with that law which appears to regulate the constitution of the 

 universe. Considering this Earth as passing through a series 

 of revolutions from its chaotic state to a more permanent and 

 perfect form, the different planets may be regarded as in a si- 

 milar progi'ession. Astronomers have often traced the analo- 

 gy which exists among them, not only in the laws of their mo- 

 tions, but in the figure of their masses ; they have not failed to 

 remark the flattening at the poles, which can be observed in 

 some of them, similar to that of our globe, proving a similar 

 state of fluidity from which this figure has originated ; and 

 they have endeavoured even to draw from the aspect which 

 they exhibit, indications of the stage of progression in which 

 they now are *. But they have presented no pleasing prospect 

 of the final adjustment of this series of revolutions. Regard- 

 ing the planets as extinct suns, or fragments of suns, or at least 

 as masses which have been hot and luminous, they have sup- 

 posed them to be in a state of gradual refrigeration, which will 



terminate 



* Histoirt it VJatroHomie Moderne, torn, ii, p. 726. 



