390 On the Mosaic account of the Creation. 



Let A represent the spheroidal earth surrounded by the 

 diluvial ocean B B. Then let the portion C be a vacuum 

 or depression produced by successive and gradual subsidences, 

 in order to form a bed for the waters and draw them off from 

 the upper portion which is to form, according to Mr. Penn, 

 the dry land or post diluvian earth. 



It is at once apparent that the waters would gradually and 

 quietly sink into the depression from their first level, to a 

 lower one, as represented by the dotted circle D D ; but no 

 dry land whatever would become visible until all the waters 

 were drawn down and contained in the vacuum, and this we 

 may venture to affirm is an absolute impossibility, because we 

 shall presently see, that those very waters once contained in 

 suspension and solution the whole mineral substance of the 

 globe. 



It is evident here that no reflux would be formed. But 

 why, it may be asked, since the Almighty willed that the 

 waters should leave their former bed and flow into that former 

 earth which He had purposely depressed for their reception, 

 should obstacles arise in a succession of lands and barriers to 

 be overcome, to prevent or retard their advance ? 



Surely His arm was not weakened that He could not as in- 

 stantaneously and irresistibly execute His will in this second 

 period as He is allowed to have done in the first creation, 

 when the waters were gathered together into one place, that 

 the dry land might appear? No, but it is evident that 

 without such obstacles to the progress of the waters, there 

 would have been no reflux ; and without a reflux the Mosaic 

 geologist cannot account for the presence of tropical exuviae 

 in a northern climate. 



" The first great difficulty,'* says he, " which the mineral 

 geology has created for itself, occurs in that amazing and 

 principal phenomenon, the remains of animals of all species 

 and climates which are discovered in exhaustless quantities 

 in the interior of the earth ; so that the exuviae of animal 



