THF EARTH. 25 



axis at the very instant of its tormation ; and this motion being 

 greatest at the equator, the parts there acting against the force 

 of gravity, they must have swollen out, and given the earth an 

 oblate or flatted figuie. 



" As to its internal substance, oiu- globe, having once belong- 

 ed to the sun, it continues to be an uniform mass of melted mat- 

 ter, very probably vitrified in its primeval fusion. But its sur- 

 face is very differently composed. Having been in the beginning 

 heated to a degree equal to, if not greater, than what comets are 

 found to sustain ; like them it had an atmosphere of vapours 

 floating round it, and which, cooling by degrees, condensed and 

 subsided upon its surface. Those vapours formed, according 

 to their different densities, the eaith, the water, and the air ; 

 the heavier parts falling first, and the lighter remaining still 

 suspe.ided." 



Thus far our philosopher is, at least, as much a system makei 

 as Whiston or Burnet ; and, indeed, he fights his way with great 

 perseverance and ingenuity, through a thousand objections that 

 naturally arise. Having, at last, got upon the earth, he sup- 

 poses himself on firmer groimd, and goes forward mth greater 

 security. Turning his attention to the present appearance of 

 things upon this globe, he pronounces from the view, that the 

 whole earth was at first under water. This water he supposes 

 to have been the lighter parts of its former evaporation, which, 

 while the earthy particles sunk downwards by their natural gra- 

 vity, floated on the surface, and covered it for a considerable 

 space of time. 



" The surface of the earth," says he,' " must have been in the 

 beginning much less solid than it is at present; and, consequent- 

 ly, the same caures which at this day produce but very slight 

 changes, must then, upon so complying a substance, have had 

 very considerable effects. We have no reason to doubt but that 

 it was then covered with the waters of the sea ; and that those 

 waters were above the tops of our highest mountains ; since, 

 even in such elevated situations, we find shells and other marine 

 productions in very great abundance. It appears also that the 

 sea continued for a consideraI)le time upon the face of the earth: 

 for as these layers of shells are found so very frequent at such 



l^Theorie de la Terre, vol. i. p. 111. 

 C 



