MATERIAL UNIVERSE. 59 



very gradual augmentation. But the time at 

 length arrived when the temperature became 

 reduced below the boiling heat ; and a large 

 proportion of the waters, that had hitherto been 

 suspended above the earth, now rested upon it. 

 Owing to the great internal heat still acting upon 

 the waters, and the frequent protrusion of molten 

 matter from beneath, the evaporation still con- 

 tinued, and dense clouds yet hovered over the 

 earth. For, it will be recollected, that the tem- 

 perature of the earth's surface was uniform ; and, 

 being still very much above that now produced, 

 at any time, by the influence of the sun, the 

 winds had not yet been put in motion. 



And now, the waters being comparatively at 

 rest, and being in sufficient quantities to give 

 free scope to the action of chemical agents, the 

 play of chemical affinities commenced. Here 

 were all the materials for secondary rock forma 

 tions, as well as crystals, and, with the aid of 

 the gases in the atmosphere, shells, and vegeta- 



