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XL. On Jameson's Preface to Cuvier's Theory oflhe Earth. 



JlSeinu something of a Geologist, and possessing a high vene- 

 ration for the Bible, it was with no inconsiderable pleasure that 

 I read in t!ie preface written bv Professor Jameson to the trans- 

 lation of Cuvier's admirable " Essav on the Theory of the Earth," 

 some observations asserting that " the structure of the Earth, and 

 the uiodeoidistributiou of extraneous fossils or petrifactions, are so 

 many direct evidences of the Scripture account of the formation 

 of the Earth;" and that " even the periods of time, the six days 

 of ?Josaic description, are not inconsistent with our theories of 

 the Earth." If however, instead of leaving the reader to fincj 

 the precise points of agreement, the Professor had condescended 

 to explain them, he would, I conceive, have done service to the 

 community. I liave read the performance of Cuvier with much 

 interest, but without being able to discover the promised agree- 

 ment. 



The researches of Geologists have within the last few years 

 caused many wonderful discoveries. They have found that a 

 certain class of rocks contain no animal or vegetable remains ; 

 which therefore they term primitive, as having, in their estima- 

 tion, been first created. These are found beneath all otl^er rocks, 

 and upon them rest another class, by Werner called transition 

 rocks, which contain only the remains of zoophytes ; the ani- 

 mals which formed the first link in the chain of animated beings. 

 Upon the transition, lies another and more numerous class, 

 caWed Jloetz rocks; the older of which inclose the remains of 

 animals, which not being now found, are of course extinct; and 

 the newer of them, the remains of animals which approach, but 

 are not actually the same as those inhabiting the present seas ; 

 and the newest of them, as well as the alluvial formation, which 

 lies above them, contain the remains of animals not to be di- 

 stinguished from those now existing. The latter also inclose the 

 bones of large land animals. 



But "it is quite undeniable tiiat no human remains have 

 hitherto been discovered among the extraneous fossils" (page 

 117) in any solid rock, which is not decidedly, both in respect 

 of its situation and composition, of very late date. 



We have the authority of eminent Geologists for asserting that 

 the remains of animals are found in mountains ten and even 

 fourteen thousand feet above the level of the sea. What amazing 

 revolutions must have befallen the earth, to produce such ca« 

 tastrophes as have buried in nu)untains so elevated, the shells 

 which once inhabited the ocean ! Geologists are not, 1 believr* 

 generally inclined to consider this as the con5?<luence qf thc^^t- 



Vol. 4G. No. 209. Sept. 1SI5. P >«"»* 



