398 ORIGIN OF LIFE. 



continents appearing above the level of the sea. Our 

 planet was then divided into land and water in the 

 same proportions as exist at the present time. For 

 though land is always changing into water, and 

 water is always changing into land, their relative 

 quantities remain the same. The air was black, 

 night was eternal, illumined only by lightning and 

 volcanoes ; the earth was unconscious of the sun's 

 existence ; its heat was derived from the fire within, 

 and was uniform from pole to pole. But the 

 crust thickened ; the inner heat could no longer 

 be felt upon the surface ; the atmosphere brightened 

 a little, and the sun's rays penetrated to the earth. 

 From the shape, the attitude, and the revolutions of 

 our planet, resulted an unequal distribution of solar 

 heat, and to this inequality the earth is indebted for 

 the varied nature of its aspects and productions. 

 Climate was created : winds arose in the air ; currents 

 in the deep ; the sun sucked up the waters of the sea, 

 leaving the salt behind ; rain-clouds were formed, 

 and fresh water bestowed upon the land. The under- 

 ground fires assisted the planet's growth by transform- 

 ing the soils into crystalline structures, and by raising 

 the rocks thus altered to the surface ; by producing 

 volcanic eruptions, hot springs, and other fiery pheno- 

 mena. But the chief Architect and Decorator of this 

 planet was the Sun. When the black veil of the earth 

 was lifted, when the sunlight entered the turbid waters 

 of the primeval sea, " an interesting event " took place. 

 The earth became with young. 



In water there are always floating about a multi- 

 tude of specks which are usually minute fragments of 

 the soil. But now appeared certain specks which, 

 though they resembled the others, possessed certain 



