1 791' THE PROBABLE CAUSES OF THE DELUGE. 207 



which my father received from the author, and 011 it, 

 fince I have not the buft of the poet to invert, I lay 

 this garland of bays. 



" Hail, Nature's poet! whom fhc taught alone 



To Cng her works in numbers like her own ! ■ 



^weet as the Thrufli that warbles in tlie dale. 



And foft as Philomela's tender tale ; 



She lent her pencil, too of wond'rous power, 



To catch the Rainbow, and to paint the Flower 



Of many mingling hues. Then fmiling faid, 



(But firfl with laurel crowned her favourites head) 



Thefe beauteous Children tho' fo fair they Ihine, 



Fade in mv Seafons. Let them live in Time ! 



And live they fhall, the charm of ev'ry eye. 



Till Nature fickcns, and the Seafons die." 



On the probable Caufes of the Deluge. 



To the Editor of the Bee, 



Commvnicated by Cadf. Firdock. 



ijo perfe£l are the laws by which this wonderful fyf- 

 tem is regulated, and fo effecbual that felf-phyfic which 

 the Almighty has iallituted through all his works, that 

 if any fortuitous accident happens in tlie fyfiem, there 

 requires no immediate interpoGtion to prevent or cure 

 the mifchief, each body carrying within itfelf the prin- 

 ciples of prefervation and cure ; an argument of wif- 

 dom and forefight worthy the Deity. 



The pianet Jupiter was attracted out of his orbit by 

 the enormous comet which appeared in the year 1680. 

 The comet came acrofs the plane of his track, had 

 .; temporary influence upon him ; and it is obforvable 

 he has not travelled by the fame fixed ftars fmce that 

 period which he did before it. When the influence of 

 the comet had cealed, and he was again left to that of 

 the fun, as before, no doubt but his ufiial motion 

 was momentarily retarded, and the (hape of his 

 orbit altered. — Now if Jimlt:r confifts of land and 



