204 Natural Hisiorij. [Chap. III. 



and to render them more enlightened and satisfac- 

 tory : and, although modern tidies have produced 

 many visionary theories, and crude conjectures on. 

 this subject, they have also given birth to some im^^ 

 portant acquisitions, and much correct philosophy,j 

 wliich will be highly prized by all who study the 

 history and structure of our globe. 



Towards the close of the seventeenth century, 

 three different Theories of the Earth were pro- 

 posed, by as many philosophers of Great Britain ; 

 of which, as they were among the first offered to 

 the world, and bear a relation to several of the 

 subsequent theories, it will be proper to take some 

 notice. 



The first was the Telluris TJieoria Sacra^ of tlie 

 rev. Dr. Thomas Burnet. This celebrated theorist 

 was a man of genius and taste ; and his work, if it 

 do not command the assent of the philosophic 

 mind, will be found to display much learning, and 

 a very vigorous imagination. According to him, 

 the earth was first a fluid heterogeneous mass. The 

 heaviest parts descended and formed a solid body. 

 The waters took their station round this body, and 

 all lighter tluids rose above the water. Thus, be- 

 tween the coat of air, and that of water, a coat of 

 oily matter was interposed. But as the air was 

 then full of impurities, and contained great quan- 

 tities of earthy particles, these gradually subsided 

 and rested upon the stratum of oil, and composed 

 a crust of earth, mixed with oleaginous matter. 



* This M'ork was first ]^ublished, in iGSO, in the Latin language. 

 It was afterwards translated, by the author^ and published in twu 

 parts, in 4tOj in l083 and l()CjO. 



