186 Natural Ilistorij. 



Difficulties have been lately removed, which 

 were once supposed, by some, to militate strongly 

 against the possibility of a general Deluge, Early 

 geologists, for want of accurate information, sup- 

 posed that all the waters of the globe were not 

 sufficient to cover the whole earth, to such a depth 

 as the sacred historian describes. It was asserted 

 that the mean depth of the ocean did not exceed a 

 quarter of a mile, and that only half of the surface 

 of the globe was covered by it. On these data. 

 Dr. Keil computed that twenty-eight oceans would 

 be requisite to cover the whole earth, to the height 

 oi four mileSy which he judged to be that of the 

 highest mountains ; a quantity, which, at that 

 time, was utterly denied to exist. But further 

 progress in mathematical and physical knowledge 

 has since shown, that the different seas and oceans 

 contain at \QZ^i forty-eight times more water than 

 they were supposed to do, and much more than 

 enough for the extent ascribed to the deluge in 

 the sacred history." 



AVhile difficulties which were supposed to ren- 

 der the deluge impossible have been removed, by 

 the investigations of modern philosophers, many 

 facts have been, at the same time, brought to light, 

 showing the probability, and even certainty of that 

 mighty inundation. In every valley and mountain 

 support for revelation has been found. Marine 



V M. De La Place (whose mathematical and astronomical skill wilt 

 not be questioned, and whom none will suspect of a disposition to press 

 facts unduly into the support of revelation) has demonstrated, by a strict 

 application of the theory of tides, to the height to which they are known 

 to rise in the main ocean, that a depth of water reaching only fo half a 

 league, or even to tivo or three leagues, is Utterly incompatible with the 

 Newtonian theory, and that no depth less than/wr leagues can possibly be 

 reconciled with the phenomena. It will be readily perceived that this is 

 much more than the Mosaic history requires. 'Ihe extent of that part of 

 our globe which is covered by water is now known to be far greater than 

 Keil supposed it ; it being ascertained that nearly two-thirds of the surface 

 ©f the earth are in this situation. Kirwan's Geological Essays, p. 66, 67. 



