THE EARTH. 11? 



imagination of the poetical philosopher riots in 

 the description of the natural and acquired ad- 

 vantages which they long enjoyed in this charm- 

 ing region. " If," says he, " we compare that 

 country to our own, ours will appear a mere wast- 

 ed skeleton when opposed to it. Their moun- 

 tains, to the very tops, were clothed with fertility, 

 and poured down rivers to enrich the plains be- 

 4ow." 



However, all these beauties and benefits were 

 destroyed in one day, by an earthquake sinking 

 the earth, and the sea overwhelming it. At pre- 

 sent, not the smallest vestiges of such an island 

 are to be found : Plato remains as the only autho- 

 rity for its existence, and philosophers dispute 

 about its situation. It is not for me to enter into 

 the controversy, when there appears but little 

 probability to support the fact ; and, indeed, it 

 would be useless to run back nine thousand years 

 in search of difficulties, as we are surrounded 

 with objects that more closely affect us, and that 

 demand admiration at our very doors. When 

 I consider, as Lactantius suggests, the various 

 vicissitudes of nature ; lands swallowed by yawn- 

 ing earthquakes, or overwhelmed in the deep; 

 rivers and lakes disappearing, or dried away; 

 mountains levelled into plains ; and plains swell- 

 ing up into mountains ; I cannot help regarding 

 this earth as a place of very little stability ; as a 

 transient abode of still more transitory beings. 



