250 Description and Ajialysis of a Meteoric Mass. 



A little reflection however will evince that if we view the starry 

 universe as composed of systems of systems, acknowledging a 

 common centre, and suppose a resisting medium to be partially 

 difftised throughout, the preceding reasoning would with a little 

 modification be applicable to its mode of distribution. Even here 

 we find no cause to apprehend the dissolution of creation, or to 

 infer that physical worlds will cease to exist, as theatres for the 

 operation of the infinite love and infinite wisdom of the Divine 

 Creator. 



I am aM'-are that there are those whose religious feelings are 

 enlisted to prove, upon philosophical grounds, the certainty of the 

 final destruction of at least this terrestrial globe ; and who may 

 therefore distrust the tenor of the foregoing remarks. With the 

 hazards to which our earth may be exposed from other sources, I 

 have at this time nothing to do. But with all due deference to 

 those who may differ from me in opinion, if such there are, al- 

 though I revere the sacred scriptures as the manifestation of di- 

 vinity to man, I do not regard them as designed to instruct us in 

 physical philosophy. Prophecy has not always been understood 

 until the time of its fulfilment; and while some contend, as the 

 admirers of Swedenborg, that the word of God contains through- 

 out a figurative or spiritual sense, the prophecies are confessedly 

 full of metaphor. In those relating to the final consummation of 

 all things, circumstances are stated which must be considered fig- 

 urative. It is not improbable that others are misunderstood, and 

 it is believed to be alike dangerous to science and to religion, to 

 be unduly biased in our investigations of philosophical questions, 

 by uncertain interpretations of the sacred volume. 



Art. IY. — Description and Analysis of a Meteoric mass, found 

 in Tennessee, composed of Metallic Iron, Graphite, Hydroxide 

 of Iron and Pyrites ; by G. Troost, M. D., Prof, of Chemistry, 

 Mineralogy and Geology in the University of Nashville, Tenn. 



During my excursions through East Tennessee, I had seen 

 small fragments of native iron, and had heard of large masses of 

 it, which were believed to be silver. It being considered a pre- 

 cious metal, all that was known about it, and the place where it 

 was found, were kept a profound secret. Some less prejudiced 

 inhabitant at last became acquainted with the nature of the metal, 



