EARTH. 
fulateJ to ascertain geograpliical doubts 
with precision, and the circumnavigation of 
the globe, the ancients imagined the earth 
flat or cylindrical ; but the moderns, with 
greater truth, derived from superior means, 
pronounce it almost spherical, founding 
their opinion upon the following just 
grounds : the circular shadow of thfe earth 
in eclipses of the moon, the general ap- 
pearance of the planetary system in all 
parts of the earth being the same, and the 
observations made in circumnavigating it 
concurring with those which must result 
from a globular form. That great philoso- 
pher, Sir Isaac Newton, was led by acci- 
dent to suppose, from the revolving of the 
earth round its axis, and the laws of hy- 
drostatics, that it is an oblate spheroid, 
flattened at the poles. Professor Jameson 
admits the truth of this supposition, and 
says, “ The spheroidal figure of the earth 
is a proof of its original fluidity. This im- 
portant conclusion was never disputed ; the 
only question has been, whether this fluidity 
was the etfect of tire or water. Rocks, 
which have been formed or altered by the 
action of heat, arc most distinctly ditferent 
from those that constitute the great mass of 
the crust of the globe ; consequently, this 
fluidity cannot be attributed to the agency 
of heat.” Whether the conjectures on the 
opposite hypothesis are founded on a tena- 
ble basis, cannot be ascertained to demon- 
stration ; but it may not be amiss to let the 
Professor speak further on the subject. 
“ The only other agent we are acquainted 
with that is capable of producing this 
fluidity, is water ; and we have the strongest 
evidence that it has been the active agent. 
In chap. 2, when mentioning the etfects of 
water on the surface of the globe, we de- 
scribed several mechanical and chemical 
depositions which are daily taking place, 
as it w ere, under the eye ; and w'e may 
now add, that a comparison of their struc- 
ture, with that of the great fossil masses of 
which the crust of the earth is composed, 
evinces so complete an agreement, as en- 
titles us to infer with great certainty, that 
tliese also have been formed by the same 
agent. As the highest mountains are com- 
posed of rocks, possessing a structure re- 
sembling those fossils which have been 
formed by water, we naturally conclude, 
'that the ocean must have formerly stood 
very high over these mountains. Further, 
as the most elevated mountains are com- 
posed of rocks, such as granite, gneiss, 
mica-slate, clay-slate, and others, which 
extend around the whole globe, and have 
been formed during the same period of 
time ; it follow's irresistably, that the ocean 
must have formerly covered the whole earth 
at the same time.” 
Ill order to clear the surface of the 
earth of this superabundance of water, 
wliich militates against the existence of life 
but in one species of the animated system, 
and equally against every species of vege- 
tation, our theorist observes, “ It was re- 
served for Werner to give this theory sta- 
bility. With his usual acuteness, he soon 
discovered that the important documents 
for the illustration of this great phenome- 
non, W'ere not to be sought for in the for- 
mations that have taken place within the 
limits of human history, but in the moun- 
tains themselves, those mighty aquatic for- 
mations. His investigations were attended 
with complete success ; for he discovered, 
1st, That the outgoings of the newer strata 
are generally lower than the outgoings of 
the older, from granite downwards to the 
alluvial depositions, and this not in particu- 
lar spots, but around the whole globe. 
2nd, That the primitive part of the earth 
is entirely composed of chemical precipita- 
tions, and that mechanical depositions do 
not appear until a later period, that is, in 
the transition class ; and that from this point 
they continue increasing, through all the 
succeeding classes of rocks, to the newest, 
or the alluvial, which are almost entirely me- 
chanical deposits. These most important 
observations ascertain, in a satisfactory 
manner, the universal diminution of the 
water from the surface of the earth.” 
To obviate the difficulty above noticed, 
the Professor supposes animals to have been 
created as the earth was cleared to receive 
them ; but the superfluous water is still in 
want of a receptacle capacious enough to 
contain it : such are the unfortunate conse- 
quences of theory. Newton has certainly 
proceeded upon the best da!a, and his cal- 
culations are almost universally correct and 
convincing. 
When M. Richer visited Cayenne, he 
found a clock, he then possessed of particu- 
lar excellence, which had gone perfectly 
true at Paris, lost daily two minutes and 
twenty-eight seconds ; the situation of the 
island is about five degrees from the equator, 
aud although the heat of a climate lengthens 
pendulums, and impedes their motion, yet 
that of Cayenne was by no means sufficient 
to produce so considerable a difference, 
which cannot otherwise be accounted for 
