67 
character of the phenomena. Next, by taking advantage of the 
physical science of the present day, I shall inquire by what 
natural forces such phenomena might have been produced, and 
how the asserted destruction of the lives of men and animals 
would be the necessary consequence. Lastly, taking into con- 
sideration, either individually or in classes, the facts which 
have been discovered in such great abundance and variety in 
recent times relating to the status and localization of animal 
remains, and to concomitant circumstances of the earth's 
superficial crust, I propose to account for these facts also by 
reference, as in the previous discussion, to the operation of 
known, or possible, physical causation. The facts will be ac- 
cepted as described by Lyell, Lubbock, Evans, Boyd Dawkins, 
and other writers on geological questions, although I may not be 
able to adopt the views of these authors as respects either the 
modus operandi of the physical causes, or the time occupied in 
effecting changes of the features of the earth’s superficies. Hav- 
ing spent a large amount of thought and mathematical research, 
during many years, on the laws of operation of the physical 
forces, I am entitled, I think, to form on these two points an 
independent judgment. If this second discussion should in- 
dicate that the observed phenomena may be accounted for by a 
deluge agreeing as to its physical causation and consequences 
with the inferences drawn in the first discussion from the recorded 
facts of the Noachian deluge, it is evident that the Biblical 
narrative would thereby receive much confirmation. This, I 
presume, will be considered to be a fair line of argument. 
I. The passages in the Book of Genesis which describe the 
immediate natural causes of the Deluge are few in number, but 
very significant. “ All the fountains of the great deep were 
broken up, and the windows ( KarappaKrai ) of heaven were 
opened, and the rain was upon the earth forty days and forty 
nights” (vii. 11, 12). These statements clearly point to two 
sources of the waters of the Deluge. The views entertained by 
the Hebrews respecting the causes of natural phenomena were 
such only as might be suggested by ordinary observation ; and 
hence, as it seems, they supposed that any collection of waters 
had its proper springs or fountains, and according as the foun- 
tains were opened or closed, the waters flowed or ceased to flow. 
Thus in 2 Esdras iv. 7, two kinds of springs are spoken of, — 
“ springs in the beginning of the deep,” and “ springs above 
the firmament.” The above passage of Genesis expresses simi- 
larly the twofold source of the waters which produced the 
Deluge, and may be taken as indicating that besides a copious 
down-pouring of rain through, as it were, cataracts, or windows, 
f 2 
