50 SKETCHES OF CREATION. 



the morning, and sent a lurid ray through the dense, re 

 fractive atmosphere, and at night sank into the smoke 

 that ascended from a burning world. The morning and 

 evening twilight almost met each other in the midnight 

 zenith, so high and so refractive was the heterogeneous at 

 mosphere. But there w r as no need of twilight. An ocean 

 of fire sent up to the nocturnal heavens a glare that was 

 more fearful than the poisoned ray of the feebly-shining 

 sun. Here was chaos. Here was the death and silence 

 of the primeval ages, when the Uncreated alone looked 

 on, and saw order, and beauty, and life germinating in the 

 heart of universal discord. 



In obedience to the law of thermal equilibrium a law 

 which undoubtedly rose into being with the birth of mat 

 ter the high temperature of the earth gradually subsided 

 through radiation into external space. A crystallization 

 of the least fusible elements and simple compounds event 

 ually took place in the superficial portions of the molten 

 mass. This process continued till a crystalline crust had 

 been formed, resting upon the liquid mass which still con 

 stituted the chief bulk of the globe. 



It has sometimes been objected to this view that the 

 solidified materials would possess superior density, and 

 would, accordingly, sink into the liquid portions. If this 

 were so, the solidification of such a molten mass would 

 either commence at the centre, or a uniform refrigeration 

 would proceed till the whole would suddenly be consoli 

 dated. It is the general belief that the central portions 

 of the earth still remain in a molten condition, while the 

 habitable exterior is but a comparatively thin crust. [See 

 Appendix, Note I.] If this belief is well founded, the first 

 solidified portions did not descend toward the centre. 

 Moreover, we know that, in the case of water and several 

 other substances, the newly-solidified parts are less dense, 



