316 MR. THOMAS CARRICK ON THE 



of cosmical force, and answer unequally and differently to 

 the strain. 



The voltaic battery — in which, by surface-reactions of 

 dissimilar solids and liquids in presence of atmospheric 

 tension, heat, light, electricity, and magnetism are evoked 

 — thus becomes a faithful type of the larger reactions of 

 terrestrial matter when under the tension of cosmical 

 force. 



The abnormal phases of force thus indirectly resulting 

 from land-upheaval have become in turn the starting- 

 point of fresh differentiations tending towards another 

 covering of the denuded land, in which the pre-existing 

 states of matter occur in complex combination. 



Under the moulding hand of the Great Architect of the 

 Universe, this tendency has had its fruition in the in- 

 finitely varied forms of vegetation which constitute the 

 brilliant clothing of upheaved land-areas. 



In short, the ceaseless molecular changes and local 

 motions of terrestrial matter would, on this hypothesis, 

 be mainly referred to the differential force arising out of 

 land-upheaval. 



Sufl&cient has now been said to indicate the general cha- 

 racter of the cosmical speculations which have led to the 

 grouping of tidal phenomena in relation to land- areas as 

 causal centres. 



If the upheaval of land above water originated a dif- 

 ferential action of force in manner indicated, then it is 

 obvious that no subsequent changes short of entire re- 

 submersion could altogether neutralize the action of this 

 force ; part of the present residual of this force would there- 

 fore naturally give rise to a perturbative action centring 

 on land-areas, and attaining a maximum value on the 

 shores of these areas. 



For if the normal mode of transmission of cosmical 

 force is through the medium of successive layers of solid 



