THE EARTH. 61 



are no risings nor depressions to form reservoirs, or collect the small- 

 est rivulet of water. The most rational answer, therefore, why eithei 

 mountains or plains were formed, seems to be that they were thus 

 fashioned by the hand of Wisdom, in order that pain and pleasure should 

 be so contiguous, as that mortality might be exercised either in bear- 

 ing the one, or communicating the other. 



Indeed, the more I consider this dispute respecting the formation 

 of mountains, the more I am struck with the futility of the question. 

 There is neither a straight line nor an exact superficies, in all nature. 

 If we consider a circle, even with mathematical precision, we shall 

 find it formed of a number of small right lines, joining at angles to- 

 gether. These angles, therefore, may be considered in a circle as 

 mountains are upon our globe ; and to demand the reason for the one 

 being mountainous, or the other angular, is only to ask, why a circle 

 is a circle, or a globe is a globe. In short, if there be no surface 

 without inequality in nature, why should we be surprised that the 

 earth has such ? It has often been said, that the inequalities of its 

 surface are scarce distinguishable, if compared to its magnitude ; and 

 I think we have every reason to be content with the answer. 



Some, however, have avoided the difficulty by urging the final cause. 

 They allege that mountains have been formed merely because they 

 are useful to man. This carries the inquirer but a part of the way ; 

 for no one can affirm, that in all places they are useful. The contrary 

 is known, by horrid experience, in those valleys that are subject to 

 their influence. However, as the utility of any part of our earthly 

 habitation is a very pleasing and flattering speculation to every phi- 

 losopher, it is not to be wondered that much has been said to prove the 

 usefulness of these. For this purpose, many conjectures have been 

 made, that have received a degree of assent even beyond their evi- 

 dence ; for men were unwilling to become more miserably wise. 



It has been alleged, a one principal advantage that we derive from 

 them, that they serve like hoops or ribs, to strengthen our earth, and to 

 bind it together. In consequence of this theory, Kircher has given 

 us a map of the earth, in this manner hooped with its mountains ; which 

 might have a much more solid foundation, did it entirely correspond 

 with truth. 



Others have found a different use for them, especially when they 

 run surrounding our globe ; which is, that they stop the vapours which 

 are continually travelling from the equator to the poles ; for these be- 

 ing urged by the heat of the sun, from the warm regions of the line, 

 must all be accumulated at the poles, if they were not stopped in their 

 way by those high ridges of mountains which cross their direction. 

 But an answer to this may be, that all the great mountains in Ameri- 

 ca lie lengthwise, and therefore do not cross their direction. 



But to leave these remote advantages, others assert, that not only the 

 animal but vegetable part of the creation would perish for want of con- 

 venient humidity, were it not for their friendly assistance. Their sum- 

 mits are, by these, supposed to arrest, as it were, the vapours which 

 float in the regions of the air. Their large inflections and channels 

 are considered as so many basins prepared for the reception ' f those 

 thick vapours, and impetuous rains, which descend ; nto them. T5i 



