23 



A clear illustration, indicating and confirming this 

 hypothesis, is supplied by the volcanic eruptions which 

 take place on islands or on continents in places borde- 

 ring upon the sea. Under the pressure of cosmic move- 

 ment and the winds, the sea-water in these places pene- 

 trates and soaks its way downward till it reaches the 

 heated strata beneath. Coming in contact with the glo- 

 wing interior its moisture is converted into steam, which 

 forces its way up from under the earth's crust. Yielding 

 to the powerful pressure of this boiling vapour, the sur- 

 face opens in places and emits the steam. If this takes 

 place in dry ground a simple earthquake is the result, 

 but if it occurs on the sea bottom the water recedes 

 from the shore and when the bottom sinks again to its 

 normal level there ensues a contrary result the tidal 

 wave. This phenomenon is repeated from time to time, 

 until the subterranean conditions become established 

 between the heated strata of the interior and the sea 

 water penetrating to them, when, though only temporarily, 

 the formation of vapour ceases. 



The fourth analogy consists in the living matter ot the 

 earth's organism. As in the case of human beings these 

 are parts of the body which can be cut without produ- 

 cing pain or any effort on the part of the organism to 

 replace them, just so also, there are mountains which 

 gradually split up into rocks and remain whole ages in 

 a broken rocky state. On the other hand a wound dealt 

 to any blood-vessel after exciting inflammation and sup- 

 puration, heals, and the body returns to its natural 

 healthy state. The very same process takes place in the 

 case of the earth. If you dig a pit in a damp spot you 

 will notice, in the course of nature, consequences closely 

 resembling inflammation and subsequent recovery. In 

 places the ground, becoming oxidized, changes its appea- 

 rance ; the moisture darkens ; an immense quantity of 

 animalcule and infusoria appear, vegetation arises, arrest- 

 ing the dust in the air; little by little the hole is sup- 

 plied with all the elements of the soil and at last 

 levels down and is covered with some pleasant grass. 



