50 SEASIDE DIVINITY. 



along the shores of the Firth of Forth in Scotland, 

 are traceable at a distance at certain elevations 

 above the existing margin of the sea, and at various 

 distances from it, deposits of shells and pebbles 

 and sand, which at some far distant period formed 

 the beach washed by the waves of the sea. These 

 phenomena are extremely remarkable, and it is 

 impossible to examine the appearances they pre- 

 sent without coming to the conclusion that the 

 coast has risen above its ancient level, and that 

 the waters of the deep have retired from places 

 on which they formerly flowed. Whether the 

 causes which have produced these elevations are 

 still in progress as regards our own shores it is 

 difficult to affirm ; but it is certain that within 

 the last few years the sea-shores of various parts 

 of South America have been raised during earth- 

 quakes, the relative levels of the sea and land 

 have been greatly altered. Like changes, however, 

 from the raising of the ancient margins of the 

 sea in this country have taken place, it is probable, 

 long antecedent to the period when the human 

 race were called into existence. 



Geology, as already observed, points out a series 

 of vast and marvellous changes which have oc- 

 curred in the physical condition of the globe we 

 inhabit. To these changes our sea-shores have 

 in the progress of ages been themselves subjected, 

 and the agencies by which many of those changes 

 are effected are in active and incessant operation. 

 Stable as we are apt to deem the solid structure 

 of the earth, nevertheless its materials are subject 



