t 
t 290 ) 
V.' A jJ/Qrt Account ■ of the Caufe of the Saltnefs 
of the Ocean, and of the federal Lakgs that emit 
no tfdjyers 5 mth aPropofa^ by help thereof todtf 
cover the Age 'of the World •( Traduced before the 
Royal-Society by Edmund Halley, R. S. Seer. 
T Here have been many Attempts made and Propo- 
fals offered, to afeertain from the Appearances . of 
Nature, what may have been the Antiquity of this Globe 
of Earth ; on which, by the Evidence of Sacred Writ, 
Mankind has dwelt about 6000 Years 5 or according to 
the Septuagint above 7000. But whereas we are there told 
that the Formation of Man was the iaft Adfcof the J Crea- 
tor t tis no where revealed in Scripture how long the 
Earth had exiflcd before this lafl: Creation^ nor how long 
thofe five Days that predebded it may be to be accoun- 
ted ; fince we are elfewhere told, that in refpeft of the 
Almighty athoufcnd Years is as One Day, , being equal- 
ly no part of Eternity ; Nor can it well be Conceived how 
rhofe Days fhould be to be underftood of natural Days, 
fince they are mentioned as Meafures of Time before the 
Creation of the Sun, which was not till the Fourth Day. 
And ’tis certain Adam found the Eerth, at his firft Produ- 
ction, fully replenifhed with all forts of other Animala 
This Enquiry Teeming to me well to defervd Confiderati- 
on, and worthy the Thoughts of .the Royal Society, I fhall 
take leave to propofe an Expedient for determining the 
Age of the World by a Medium, as I take it, wholly new, 
and which in my Opinion feems to promife fuccefs, 
though the Event cannot be judged of till after a long Pe- 
riod of Time? fubmitting the fame to their better Judg- 
ment. 
