THE PRIMITIVE STATE. 21 



planation of earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, and of the im- 

 mense mountain upheavels which have occurred at different 

 epochs during the geological formations; while, aside from 

 the hypothesis of internal fusion, the solution of these latter 

 phenomena would be extremely difficult, if not impossible. 



Thus have geologists reasoned, from substantial data, con- 

 cerning the early state of our planet. But, though at this point 

 the data of retrospective reasonings become less certain than 

 those which have hitherto guided us, we may presume, as 

 highly probable, not to say absolutely certain, that not even 

 this was strictly the primitive state of our planet that the 

 matter which composes it was in conditions anterior and ger- 

 minal even to this ; and if we extend backward our chain of 

 analogical inductions in a direct line^ it will lead us to a con- 

 dition of still more intense heat heat that would be compat- 

 ible only with the existence of matter in the form of vapor. 

 It is. then, to say the least, an hypothesis certainly not unrea- 

 sonable, that the matter of our earth was once in the state of 

 igneous gas, from the cooling and condensation of which it 

 assumed successively the fluid, and then its present superfici- 

 ally solid state. But for the present we offer this only as an 

 hypothesis to which analogies thus far developed, directly 

 point. Such further and more conclusive evidences of its 

 truth, as scientific data now afford, will be incidentally brought 

 into view as we proceed. 



