GEOLOGY. I 27 



together with the changes and improvements made upon 

 its surface by the hands of men. It not only gives an 

 account of oceans, continents, islands and mountains, 

 but of towns, republics, kingdoms and empires. 



It is not the object of Geology to give the number, 

 names or situation of continents, islands, or mountains, 

 but of the ingredients of which they are composed, and 

 of the position and arrangement in which they are placed. 

 It takes no notice of the changes which have been pro- 

 duced upon the earth by the industry or the ravages of 

 men, but describes the more sublime changes it has 

 suffered, by the agency of earthquakes and volcanoes; 

 and by the gradual but irresistible hand of time. 



The object of Geology is to give us a history, not of 

 the inhabitants which have risen and fallen upon the 

 earth, but of the earth itself. It describes its original 

 formation and present structure, with the gradual and 

 tremendous changes it has undergone, since it came from 

 the hand of its Maker. 



It must be acknowledged that our means of nforma- 

 tion upon this subject are comparatively scanty. Neither 

 history, nor the present appearance of the earth, informs 

 us with any degree of minuteness, what was its state, 

 when * it was without form and void,' or how great or 

 general were its changes, when the ' windows of heaven 

 opened, and the fountains of the great deep broken up.' 

 Nor can we penetrate beyond a few feet into the bowels 

 of the earth, to ascertain what are its hidden treasures, 

 or the order in which they are stored. Neither the 

 ledges of mountains, the channels of rivers, ravines, 

 caves, wells or any other excavation, either natural or 

 artificial, give us any opportunity to examine the mate- 

 rials, structure or arrangement of our globe, but a few 

 feet below its surface. 



Although most of the incidents in the history of our 

 planet, which curiosity, ever upon the alert, would fain 

 unfold, are surrounded and deeply buried in the gloom 

 of ignorance, a few of these incidents are still within our 

 reach, and are too interesting and too important to be 

 withheld from any one who has a heart to feel, or a mind 

 to perceive. A few facts, which can be well established, 



