168 Paint of the Declaration of Independence. 
inundation, since there is no alternation of the mud with 
the stalactite. Whether this was the Noachian deluge, 
we think would not be quite demonstrably proved, from 
the Kirkdale cavern alone; although rendered probable. 
But, as we shall see hereafter, there is a striking coinci- 
denceas respects this point, between this and numerous other 
caves which Mr. Buckland subsequently visited, forming al- 
together a body of proof too strong to be resisted. ‘* The 
fourth period is that during which the stalagmite was de- 
osited, which invests the upper surface of the mud.”— 
his must have been the longest of the periods, since the 
quantity of stalagmite formed is much the greatest. No 
other process appears to have been going on at this time, 
except the formation of stalactitic and stalagmitic infiltra- 
tions ; nor did any creatures enter the cavern, except per- 
haps a few mice, rats, weasels, rabbits and foxes. 
Every one will see how exactly these periods corres- 
pond to the history of the world, as given in the scriptures, 
and handed down by tradition. The first and second pe- 
riod clearly point us te the antediluvian age of the world, 
the third, to the Noachian deluge, and the fourth, to the 
state of the world since that catastrophe. Nor does the 
Kirkdale cavern stand alone in furnishing this curious evi- 
dence; but the phenomena of many others speak the same 
language, as we shall see in pursuing our analysis of Mr. 
Buckland’s work. 
(To be continued. ) 
Art. XVI.—WNotice of the Print of Col. Trumbull’s Picture 
of the Declaration of Independence. 
In the first volume of this Journal, p. 200, we noticed 
the picture of the Declaration of Independence, painted 
by Col. John Trumbull, by order of the Government of 
the United States. This picture, it is well known, is the 
first of a series of four, which have now been executed by 
the same distinguished artist, to adorn the walls of the 
Capitol, at Washington, and to instruct and gratify poster- 
ity, by a graphical exhibition of some of the grand events 
to which the American revolution gave birth. 
