120 THE CHEMISTRY OF CREATION. 



to be considered in the light of a theory, the 

 proof of which has not been placed within the 

 reach of man. 



Some remarkable experiments have been re- 

 cently made by Mr. Grove, and also by' Dr. 

 Eobinson of Armagh, which throw light upon 

 what we may conjecture to be the state of 

 matters in those intensely-heated regions which 

 appear to exist in the interior of the earth. 

 Mr. Grove has succeeded in decomposing water 

 into its constituent gases, oxygen and hydrogen, 

 merely by dropping upon it fused globules of 

 melted platinum, heated to great intensity, in the 

 flame of the oxy-hydrogen lamp. Dr. Robinson 

 has also shown, that as the temperature of water 

 is increased up to 212, the chemical affinity of 

 its elements is lessened, and eventually destroyed. 

 Applying these highly important experiments 

 to the matter before us, we may gather from 

 them the startling fact, that a greatly increased 

 temperature, such as that we may conceive to 

 exist in the deep region beneath us, might not 

 only prevent the chemical union of different bodies, 

 but actually destroy it, if it existed in such bodies 

 as might be exposed to its influence. Hence the 

 elements may be conceived to intermingle one 

 with another in the interior of the earth, where 

 this inconceivably great heat reigns, without any 

 tendency to unite ! Oxygen and hydrogen, car- 



