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Mr. Whidon has called in the affidance of another 
planetary body; and hasfuppofed the tail of a comet 
to be fo greatly condenfed as to afford a quantity of 
water fufficient for this purpofe. But, befides the 
inconfidency of this theory with that of gravitation, 
it is no lefs difficult, according to his hypothefis, to get 
rid of the water with which the earth was covered, 
than it is, according to others, to find a fufficient 
quantity. 
Mr. Ray has accounted for this amazing event, by 
fuppofing a change to have happened in the center of 
gravity of the earth. But how to find a caufe for fuch 
a change in the center of gravity, and for a reff oration 
of it to the fame place again, is more difficult, and the 
fuppofition of it more inconfiffent with our philofo- 
phical ideas, than any other hypothefis whatever. 
Such have been fome of the principal theories 
hitherto advanced, and far be it from me to prefume 
that mine may not in the end be found equally 
fallible; but it appears tome at prefent to be more 
plain and confident, and at the fame time is free from 
that great difficulty which has perplexed all the red, 
and is indeed the mod important difficulty in the 
enquiry, that is, the accounting for a fufficient quantity 
of water. 
We find in the Mofaic hidory of the creation, that 
God at the fird created fea as well as land; and 
therefore have grounds to believe both from thence, 
and from the reafon of things, that there was as great a 
quantity of fea on the antediluvian earth, as there is 
now upon the earth in its prefent date. 
We find alfo the whole furface of the earth to be 
undermined by fubterraneous lines, which make their 
appearance 
