4 PHYSICAL GEOGHAPHY OP THE SEA. v 



tial laws have established the existing relations between the 

 solid and fluid surfaces of the eartn. If the sea had been much 

 smaller, or if the greatest mass of land had been concentrated 

 in the tropical zone, all the meteorological phenomena on which 

 the existence of actual organic life depends would have been so 

 different, that it is doubtful whether man could then have 

 existed, and certain that, under those altered circumstances, 

 he never would have attained his present state of civilisation. 

 The dependence of our intellectual development upon the ex- 

 isting configuration of the earth, convinces us that Divine wisdom 

 and not chaotic anarchy has from all eternity presided over the 

 destinies of our planet. 



The length of all the coasts which form the boundary between 

 sea and land can only be roughly estimated, for who has 

 accurately measured the numberless windings of so many 

 shores ? The entire coast line of deeply indented Europe and 

 her larger isles measures about 21,600 miles, equal to the cir- 

 cumference of the earth ; while the shores of compact Africa 

 extend to a length of only 14,000 miles. I need hardly point out 

 how greatly Europe's irregular outlines have contributed to the 

 early development of her superior civilisation and political pre- 

 dominance. The coasts of America measure about 45,000 miles, 

 those of Asia 40,000, while those of Australia and Polynesia 

 may safely be estimated at 16,000. Thus the entire coast-line 

 of the globe amounts to about 136,000 miles, which it would 

 take the best pedestrian full twenty-five years to traverse from 

 end to end. 



How different is the aspect of these shores along which 

 the ever-restless sea continually rises or falls! Here steep 

 rock-walls tower up from the deep, while there a low sandy 

 beach extends its flat profile as far as the eye can reach. While 

 some coasts are scorched by the vertical sunbeam, others are 

 perpetually blocked up with ice. Here the safe harbour bids 

 welcome to the weather-beaten sailor, the light-house greets him 

 from afar with friendly ray ; the experienced pilot hastens to guide 

 him to the port, and all along the smiling margin of the land 

 rise the peaceful dwellings of civilised man. There, on the con- 

 trary, the roaring breakers burst upon the shore of some dreary 

 wilderness, the domain of the savage or the brute. What a 

 wonderful variety of scenes unrolls itself before our fancy as it 



