247 



which they have sustained by decomposition, disinte- 

 gration, or that of any other kind. 



From the view then which I have taken, and the 

 facts which I have stated, (and facts, 1 trust, they 

 mostly are) who can or will contend, that the moun- 

 tains of our earth are becoming more and more de- 

 pressed by the disintegration of the rocks of which 

 they are composed ? Is it not evident that if the cal- 

 culations of Gensanne were true, viz. that the .de- 

 pression of the mountains, by the disintegration of the 

 rocks, is at the rate of ten inches in a hundred years, 

 one of the great plans of nature would have, long 

 since, been defeated ? For is it not evident that the 

 towering heights of Iraaus, of Taurus, of Libanus, 

 of Atlas, of the .Alps, of the Pyrennees, of the 

 Peak of Teneriffe, of the Andes, and many others, 

 were intended expressly to be covered with eternal 

 frost and snow, for the specifick purpose of modifying 

 and tempering the heated atmosphere in those burning 

 regions ? If so, it is obvious that, from a loss of ten 

 inches in a hundred years, and admitting the age of 

 the world to be, according to some, twelve thousand 

 years, the height of the mountains would be between 

 seven and eight hundred feet less than at first : con- 

 sequently in many places, upon their heights, not a 

 particle of snow or ice would now be seen. Therefore 

 these countries would be left, to be almost set on fire 

 by the insupportable heat of a vertical sun. 



Fortunately, however, it is not so. The Great 

 Author of Mature intended it otherwise; and they 



