702 
Organic Eemabu ofji Formtr World, 
fctrata. The chief fossils which are 
found in this straturu are ammonitcB of 
a tolerably Iarc;e size; and a smaller 
species of an oval form, different from 
those found in any other strata. 
Immediately on this stratum is placed 
that of the soft chalk, containing silex 
in' tiie state of sand with interposed 
layers, and large, interspersed, and ir¬ 
regular nodules of black flint. The 
fossils of this stratum differ in a vei^ 
remarkable degree from those of all 
tlie inferior strata. 
On this chalk is deposited a thick 
stratum of white sand, over which is a 
sand of a darker color, and above this 
various thin strata, or patches, of marl, 
shells, sandstone, coarse limestone, frag¬ 
ments of shells, pebbles, &c. 
MOSAIC CREATION. 
Even from this slight and imperfect 
sketch it appears that the formation of 
-Che exterior part of this globe, and the 
creation of its several inhabitants, must 
have been the work of a vast length of 
time, and must have been effected at 
several distant periods. 
In the first of*these periods, the gra- 
ritic and other primary rocks were se¬ 
parated from the water. That this se¬ 
paration look place, as is stated m t’ne 
scriptm al record, previous to the creation 
of vegetables and animals, is evident, 
from no remains of any organised sub¬ 
stance hav'ing been ever found in any of 
these substances. 
In the next period we are informed, 
by scripture, that the creation of vege¬ 
tables took place. Almost every cir¬ 
cumstance in tlie situation and dispo¬ 
sition of coal axcords with tins order 
of creation; excepting tliat in many of 
the coal roeasuies, the alternating lime¬ 
stones are full of the remains of shells. 
Slit on the other hand it must be ob¬ 
served, tiiat, as the formation of . coal 
may have taken place soon after the 
creation of vegetables, and have con¬ 
tinued even to a very late period, so, 
Coaseqnenlly, the accompanying strata 
mav vary materially as to their contents. 
In the later formation, the remains of 
marine animals may be expected to be 
met with; but in the earliest formation, 
that which is found on granite, and ac¬ 
companied by porphyry, green-stone, 
&c. it is probable that no remains of 
animals would be found, and fair proof 
would be yielded, of an accordance, in 
this instance, between the order of 
cTeaiioa as related by Ikloses, wid the 
order in which the investing strata of tb&^ 
earth are disposed. 
The creation of the succeeding pe¬ 
riod, according to the scriptural rela¬ 
tion, was that of the inhabitants of the 
w'ater and of the air. In agreement 
with this order of creation, are the 
contents of all the numerous strata 
lying above those already mentioned; 
including the blue clay which we have 
seen disposed in many places almost 
at the surface. In all these strata no 
remains are to be found but those of 
the inhabitants of the waters; excepting 
those of birds w’hich exist, though rare¬ 
ly, in some particular spots. But in 
none of these strata has a single relic, 
been met vvith which can be supposed 
to have belonged to any terrestrial 
animal. 
In the next period it is stated, tha^ 
the beasts of the earth, cattle, and 
every thing that creepeth upon the 
earth, were made. The agreement of 
the situations in which the remains of 
land animals are found with this stated’ 
order of creation, is exceeding exact 
since it is only the surface, or in soma, 
superficial stratum, or in comparatively 
some lately formed deposition, that 
any remains of these animals are to?, 
be found. 
The creation of man, w'e are inform¬ 
ed, was the work of the last period « 
and in agreement with his having been 
created after all the other inhabitants 
of the earth is the fact, that not a single 
decided fossil relic of man has been 
discovered. 
This last circumstance will be con¬ 
sidered by many as contradictory of 
the account of the deluge, by which 
the earth, with man, was said to have 
beet! desiroyed; since in the remains 
of the deluged world man might be 
expected to be found in subterraneous 
situations. The fact however is, that, 
pJthough no remains of man are found, 
the surface of the earth, which is in¬ 
habited by man, displays, even at the 
present day, manifest and decided marks 
of the mechanical agency of violent 
currents of water. Nor is there a sin¬ 
gle stratum of all those which have 
been mentioned which does not exhibit 
undeniable proofs of its having been 
broken, and even dislocated, by some 
tremendous power, which has acted 
with considerable violence on this pla¬ 
net, since the deposition of the strata 
of even the latest formation. 
CE^’EUAI, 
