11 
derfully preserved. Other animals you will find thus astonishingly 
entombed, possessing, indeed, many of the anatomical character- 
istics of animals now existing ; but differing so much, in other 
respects, as to possess generic characters different from those of any 
beings which are known now to exist. Thus you will behold the 
bones of an animal, of which the magnitude is so great, as to war- 
rant the conviction, that the bulk of this dreadful unknown animal, 
exceeded three times that of the lion ; and to authorize the belief, 
that animals have existed, which have possessed, with all the dreadful 
propensities of that animal, its power of destroying, in a three-fold 
degree. You will also view the remains of a being of the magni- 
tude, at least, of the elephant ; which was armed with tusks, equally 
dreadful, as a weapon, with those borne by that animal ; and pos- 
sessing, in addition to these, enormously huge grinders, supposed 
to bear the distinctive marks of those creatures, which gain their 
food, by preying on those of inferior powers and size. The jaws of 
an animal bearing a near resemblance to those of a crocodile, you 
will perceive to be armed with teeth, not widely different from those 
of the shark. In a word, you will be repeatedly astonished by the 
discovery of the remains of animals, of which no living prototype 
is yet found. 
^Vhen the mind has dwelt awhile on objects so well calculated to 
impress it with astonishment, fresh subjects for conjecture, and most 
interesting contemplation, will arise. The number of these wrecks 
of a former world must, as well as the situations in which they are 
found, excite the highest admiration. — Not in one quarter of the 
globe alone — not in one region — not in one particular spot — ^but 
wherever this world has been explored. In the greatest subterra- 
neous depths, in the bowels of mountains, and on heights vastly 
above the level of the sea, are these wonderful remains to be found. 
But enough 1 have pressed so far on, as to be under the necessity 
of craving your indulgence, for credit, for the proofs of what I have 
