HYPOTHESES. 29 



earth to-day, prevailed there a thousand ages ago. 

 Laplace's theory requires both these assumptions, 

 geology the latter only, and judicial inquiries require 

 neither*. 



* See, for an interesting exposition of this theory of Laplace, the 

 Architecture of the Heavens, by Professor Nichol, of Glasgow; a 

 book professedly popular rather than scientific, but the production 

 of a thinker who, both in this and in other departments, is capable 

 of much more than merely expounding the speculations of his 

 predecessors. 



