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indicates the produdion of the atmcfpherc, the word which in our 

 tranfiation is rendered Jirmament * moft properly fignifies expanfe^ 

 or an expanded or dilated fubftance ; than which a more proper 

 name could not finely be chofen for the atmofphere. " To divide 

 " the waters from the waters," that is, to feparate and contain va- 

 pours, which is one principal ufe of the atmofphere. 



" And God fliid, let the waters under the heavens be gathered 

 " together in one place, and let the dry land appear, and it was 

 " fo." This is the fifth event which Mofes pjaces in the fame 

 order o'i fucctffion that mere philofophical confiderations affign 

 to it. 



The word appear is remarkable, as it feems to denote that the 

 difclofure of the earth v^a% fitccejfive, and had not from the begin- 

 ning fully and compleatly taken place. 



The events immediately fubfcquent I omit, as not relating to 

 geology, and fhall only mention the creation of fifh, a fad of great 

 importance in the theory of the earth ; this Mofes, as well as 

 philofophy, tells us happened after the feparation of the waters 

 from the dry land and primitive mountains. He alfo relates that 

 the creation of land-animals was fubfequent to that of fiOi ; a fad 



which 



** Some interpreters ihirik Jirmament implies fomething folid, bccaufe the general 

 opinion of the Heathen oriental fages was, that the heavens were folid, as if the 

 Jiue feiife of the Hebrew was to be derived from falfe opiniiris devifed many ages after 

 Mofes. 



