40 ORIGIN OF THE 



even then, it would be kept at a boiling heat for 

 a long time, and be evaporated in the form of 

 steam, which would retard its accumulation, but 

 would serve to reduce the temperature more rap- 

 idly, by carrying off vast quantities of caloric, 

 in the aqueous vapor, to a colder medium, where 

 it would be liberated, and the vapor again con- 

 densed, to fall towards the earth in the form of 

 rain. This process would probably continue till 

 the temperature of the exterior of the earth had 

 been reduced below 212 of Fahrenheit, when the 

 waters would be allowed to remain on the sur- 

 face of the earth j and, if no other causes inter- 

 vened, they would be equally diffused or spread 

 over its whole surface, subject only to the 

 laws of vaporization and condensation, which 

 are known to act far below the temperature 

 above named. 



But how different was the result ! Fortunate 

 inhabitant of this planet ! couldst thou have then 

 existed, organized as thou now art, what terrors 



