180 COSMICAL ARRANGEMENTS. 



Jupiter is one fourth, that of Saturn less than 

 one seventh, of that of the earth. If an ocean of 

 water were poured into the cavities upon the 

 surface of Saturn, its equilibrium would not be 

 stable. It would leave its bed on one side of the 

 globe ; and the planet woufd finally be composed 

 of one hemisphere of water and one of land. If 

 the Earth had an ocean of a fluid six times as 

 heavy as water, (quicksilver is thirteen times as 

 heavy,) we should have, in like manner, a dry 

 and a fluid hemisphere. Our inland rivers would 

 probably never be able to reach the shores, but 

 would be dried up on their way, like those which 

 run in torrid desarts ; perhaps the evaporation 

 from the ocean would never reach the inland 

 mountains, and we should have no rivers at all. 

 Without attempting to imagine the details of such 

 a condition, it is easy to see, that to secure the 

 existence of a different one is an end which is 

 in harmony with all that we see of the preserving 

 care displayed in the rest of creation.* 



* The stability of the axis of rotation about which the earth 

 revolves has sometimes been adduced as an instance of preserva- 

 tive care. The stability, however, would follow necessarily, if 

 the earth, or its superficial parts, were originally fluid; and that 

 they were so is an opinion widely received, both among astronomers 

 and geologists. The original fluidity of the earth is probably a 

 circumstance depending upon the general scheme of creation ; and 

 cannot with propriety be considered with reference to one parti- 

 cular result. We shall therefore omit any further consideration 

 of this argument. 



