428 'SKETCH TOWARDS A 



in conformity to my design in this Sketch, I have 

 pointed oat to Geology what it has neglected. It may 

 possibly be hereafter proved, that there was, at least, 

 a fifteenth condition, prior to that earth which was pre- 

 pared for the habitation of Man. And if I need not 

 recapitulate the Evidences for these views, I may at 

 least say, that from the fourth condition onwards, it 

 consists in facts which all geological philosophy has 

 admitted as valid proof, as far as it had applied them ; 

 though not having before perceived that they were of 

 such wide application. 



Still, there is another question to be asked, which 

 I cannot answer. St. Helena, Ascension, the Canaries, 

 and many more, with many of the coral islands of 

 the Pacific, have been elevated, either totally or par- 

 tially, at some not extremely remote period, or periods. 

 Do these actions belong to the last condition, or are 

 they of posterior date, or dates; and, if so, are they 

 also anterior to the creation of man? Do they, in 

 short, imply a further condition of the earth, previous 

 to the actual one? Geologists have never even thought 

 on this subject: to this hour, they have scarcely 

 thought much more deeply than the Werners, who 

 had dreamt but of one earth and one condition, from 

 the prime creation to the present day. I am sorry 

 that* I cannot inform them: but I have at least shown 

 them that there is more to be yet learned than they 

 had ever imagined. 



Reserving the theory of the Organized creation, 

 such is at present the basis and essential portion of a 

 Theory of the Earth ; since it is the history of its 

 progress, as a planetary globe, from its first apparent 

 production, onwards, to our own Creation. But a 

 view of the probable causes and the further nature of 

 those revolutions is also necessary; while if, here also, 



