,v>l' A C ,'v \ N y< a \ ji^^gjiiiatgH-- ^ F H f ).'■■"[' IS P [ hJ r f; ''{ '^.TH:t''rj}:,L,iQ;;ig.]]2), THE BOOK OF CEEATION UNFOLDED ; OB, 'S^St Creator as seen in ii% OTorifes: INTERSPERSED WITH ANECDOTES AND POETRY, AND INTENDED FOR THE INSTRUCTION OF THE YOUNG. BY CHARLES HODDINOTT, AUTHOR OF " THE GOD OF NATURE AND OF THE BIBLE," &C. &C. THIRD EDITION. LONDON: HOULSTON AND STONEMAN, 65, PATERNOSTER ROW. PREFACE The end in view in this series of publications, (of which each part is complete in itself,) as well as the peculiar method of the author in works of this description, will be found explained in the preface to "The Voice of Truth," and will not here be repeated. What I intend by the " Book of Creation," will be evident to every intelligent reader, and there- fore needs no explanation ; and those who are conversant with my " Christian Shield" need not be told, that the subject corresponds with that of Essay II. in that volume; though they will find but little similarity either in manner or matter. On a subject like the present, where the mate- rials are selected from so great a variety of sources, much originality cannot be expected. Yet, although the materials may not be new, pos- sibly the manner of arranging and disposing of them may be ; as, in this respect, in order to win A 3 2091018 VI PREFACE. the attention of the reader, I have chosen a me- thod entirely my own, and am not aware of having trod in the steps of any of my predecessors. Amusement blended with instruction, was the end I had in view in my other publications; and, I am gratified in having succeeded, to the satisfac- tion of a numerous class of readers: at least, if I may judge by their united testimony, in addition to the unbought opinion, elsewhere expressed, by some of the London Reviewers.* "Fame," says an anonymous author, "is sel- dom an object in works of utility. But there is some consolation in the idea, that no man was ever a loser, in the long run, by sacrificing his inclination to his duty." And I can say, that the drudgery of the work lessened, in proportion as I felt a persuasion, that what 1 did would be of use to various classes of my fellow-creatures, and to tlie rising generation in particular. Nor will it be too much to add, that this little work con- tains (though so unostentatious in its appearance) the substance of some large and expensive volumes. Some idea may be formed, by referring to the Table of Contents, of the pleasing variety of sub- jects here brought forward ; and a summary of the * For the fliittcrini? ojiinioii of the Uevicwers, see thepicfuce to "The Voice of Truth " PREFACE. Vll whole work may be found in the concluding sec- tion, p. 116 — 118. Whatever imperfections may appear in the pre- sent performance, they arise, not from the want of a close and vigilant attention to the subject, nor from a lack of suitable materials for the under- taking, but from the multiplicity of objects which here pressed upon me. In such a situation, where so many objects are pleasing, selection is by no means an easy work. In the selection of my materials I have gene- rally compared the statements of different writers on the same subject, to see how far they were agreed; and whenever any thing bore the marks of romance, or appeared too marvellous to gain general credence, I either excluded it altogether, or accompanied it with an observation to that effect. By doing the latter sometimes, an oppor- tunity is afforded to the reader of weighing the probability of a statement which appeared in some measure important. In so small a work as the present, and intended chiefly for the young, it would have appeared ego- tistical, and have occupied too much room, had I referred invariably to the source from whence I derived any important information; I have, how- ever, occasionally done it at the foot of the page : and where I have not, am not conscious of any Vlll PREFACE. plagiarism, having chosen another and a common method of acknowledi^inj? the obligation. In the numerical parts of the work I have placed the calculations of distances, magnitudes, &c. in words instead of figures; and I offer this apology for what may appear, at first sight, rather singular in this respect — that while an error of a single figure might easily creep in, either in the writing or the printing, from some accident or the smallness of the character, and make a very con- siderable difference, a word in general is much less likely to be mistaken or misplaced, from its being composed of several distinct characters; and I have been at no small pains in endeavouring at first to ascertain the correctness of such statements. With these explanations, 1 now open ** the Book of Creation" to all such as delight to read therein. And if they do it with the same satisfaction and pleasure as the author, it will give a zest to the passing moments, and, possibly, to the remainder of their days. C* H.* CONTENTS PRELIMINARY OBSERVATIONS. General Tendency of Nature — Sketch of Atheism and its modern Effrontery — Specimens cited and briefly refuted — Design of tlie ensuing Work 1 SECTION I. Of the Heavenly Bodies — First Division — The Sun, the Centre of the Solar System; including its Magnitude, Distance, Universality, and Influence 9 SECTION II. Of the Heavenly Bodies continued — Second Division — The Planets; including their Number, Motion, Magnitude, Distance, and Satellites 15 SECTION III. Of the Heavenly Bodies concluded — Third Division — The Fixed Stars; including their supposed Number, apparent Magnitude, amaz- ing Distance, Sec 28 X CONTENTS. SECTION IV. Of the Phenomena of the Heavens — Comets — Eclipses — Northern Lights — Attraction or Gravitation — Air or Atmosphere — Winds — Clouds — Water - Spout — Rain — Hail — Snow — Lightning— Thunder 32 SECTION V. Of the Earth in general — First Division— The Vegetable World 40 SECTION VL Of the Earth continued — Second Division — Mountains 49 SECTION VII. Of the Earth continued — Third Division— The Mineral World 62 SECTION VIII. Of the Earth concluded — Fourth Division — The World of Waters; contain- ing the Origin of Springs, Rivers, &c. a Survey of the Ocean, the Cause and Uses of the Tides, &c 67 SECTION IX. Of the Animal World- First Division — Fishes 63 CONTENTS. XI SECTION X. Of the Animal World continued — Second Division — Insects 72 SECTION XI. Of the Animal World continued — Third Division — Quadrupeds 87 SECTION XII. Of the Animal World continued — Fourth Division — The Savage or Untamed Tribes 92 SECTION XIII. Of the Animal World continued — Fifth Division — Birds in general 99 SECTION XIV. Of the Animal World concluded — Sixth Division — Man, the Lord of Creation. . . . 107 SECTION XV. A brief Refutation of Atheism — State of the Argument — Recapitulation — Infe- rences — Reflections — Conclusion 114 BOOK OF CREATION UNFOLDED. PRELIMINARY OBSERVATIONS. General Tendency of Nature — Sketch of Atheism and its modern Effrontery — Specimens cited and briefly refuted — Design of the ensuing Work, The day had been unusually fine; not a cloud had intercepted the glowing beams of the all- enlivening sun, which was now making rapid ad- vances in the western sky ; the din of day had ceased, and the heavens were beginning to assume their accustomed appearance on a fine summer's evening ; — when Eugenius, wearied with the tur- moils of business, and led by contemplation, sought a solace to his spirits in retirement, where, seated on an eminence, he could command a view of the charming scenery around him. He had been surveying, for some time, the pleas- ing prospect, as unfolded to his view in hill and dale, and in the heavens above, when, at length, as B 2 PRELIMINARY OBSERVATIONS. if inanimate nature reproved his long silence, he involiintavily exclaimed, in the language of his fa- vourite Milton — These are thy irlorious works, Parent of good I Almiijhty ! tliiiie this universal frame! Thus wondrous tliey ; thyself iiow wondrous then! Unea, that restless ebbs and flows; The fluctuating fields of liquid air. With all the curious meteors hovering there; And the wide region of the land, proclaim The Power Divine that rais'd the mighty frame. BLACKMORE. In a few moments Eugenius returned with the young Horatio; and, all things being arranged, they proceeded to the subject before them. In looking for the evidences of the existence of a God, said Lorenzo, where shall we begin? whither * The sun, together with the several planets that move around it, and to whicli that luminary communicates light and heat, compose what astronomers call the Solar System.— Fer^Mson in Guthrie's Geograph. Gram. vol. i. introduc.p. xi. 10 THE HEAVENLY BODIES. shall we turn our wondering- eyes? For, as the poetical Gay very properly expresses it, — Whether amid tlie gloom of tiiglit we stray, Or our tjlad eyes behold revolving day; Still Nature's various face informs our sense Of an all-wise, all-powerful Providence. Let us, resumed Eugenius, as you have imposed the task upon me, — let us begin by surveying ** those immense globes that roll above us," and the wonders of the airy regions. We may after- wards descend to this earth on which we tread — the sea and its phenomena — the vegetable and mi- neral kingdoms — and, lastly, the various tribes of creatures which creep upon the surface of the earth, skim the air, cut the watery element, or inhabit other parts of the terraqueous globe. And whatever knowledge we attain unto on these subjects, instead of engendering pride, let it have the humbling tendency it had upon the great Sir Isaac Newton, who, the more he knew, instead of being puffed up by his attainments, felt that he comparatively as yet knew nothing; and who, at the close of his life, when reviewing his aggregate knowledge, is said to have comj)ared himself to a boy that had been picking up pebbles upon the sea-shore, unmindful of the great ocean which lay before him. "The scene we behold is truly magnificent; but that which our view cannot take in at once, we mny divide and enjoy by parts." And as the sun, the centre of the solar system, and great lu- mirjary of the world, (which has been styled the soul of the universe,) is ^\\\\ lingering in yonder FIRST DIVISION— THE SUN. 11 beauteous clouds, which, as Hervey observes, it has arrayed in crimson, and skirted with gold, — > let us detain the heavenly traveller awhile, and en- quire somewhat into the wonders of his history, with which we are so nearly concerned, from the great and unvarying influence he has upon our individual and collective destinies. If, as I have observed in my Christian Shield, — if we turn our eyes on high, and survey the mate- rial heavens, adorned with the varied clouds and canopy of blue, do we not there see that " the hea- vens declare the glory of God, and the firmament sheweth his handy-work r' Can we behold the effulgence of the sun, the glorious king of day, and not have our minds insensibly led to that great Being, who sent forth his fiat that the lamp of hea- ven should pour his vital heat around, and be the glory of our lower world ? How wonderful is this " soul of the universe !" and how blind must he be, who can contemplate its amazing history, and not feel persuaded that it is guided by the laws of or- der, and the appointments of Him who moves its chariot-wheels according to prescribed and proper bounds! If this lamp of day be viewed only with the eye of the vulgar, it would be surprising if the mind were not filled with wonder and veneration for its great Author ; but if we view it in connexion with the discoveries of astronomy, (and especially of modern astronomy,) as demonstrated by Newton and others, it would be far more surprising that any, in such a view, could embrace the absurdities of Atheism. The sun, the object of our present enquiry, was long considered a globe of fire, but is now believed 12 THE HEAVENLY BODIES. to be an opaque (or dark) body, like the planets, having a diameter of eight hundred and eighty- three thousand two hundred and forty-six English miles, and said to be about a million times larger than the earth. How, then, is it the source of light as well as heat? To this some have answered, *• From the luminous atmosphere which surrounds the sun coming in contact with the atmosphere of the planets ;" in a somewhat similar manner to the collision of flint and steel, which, although they are cold bodies, when struck together immediately emit lire. And, ** the spots on the sun are sup- j>osed to be his opaque body appearing through the luminous atmosphere, when any part of it is more rare or thinner than usual."* That the sun is not a body of tire appears probable from this circum- stance, that the tops of mountains and higher re- gions are frequently covered with snow and ice, and are intensely cold, while the valleys and parts below are scorched by the solar heat. '* The sun," as you are aware, Lorenzo, *' is the common centre of all the planetary and cometary system; around which our earth and the planets and comets move, at difl'erent periods and dis- tances." Although we are in the habit of speaking of the sun as if it were not, it really is a fixed body, save its turning on its own axis, (which it does in about twenty-five days:) and its rising in the east and setting in the west is occasioned, not by any motion of its own, but by the turning of the earth * " IMtiMOck's Ciitpchisin of Asiioiioiiiy :" from wliicli, and "The Arts of I/i(c and Society," 8vo. (both modern works, and containinsf tlie recent ustronomical and other discoveries) I have derived many useful liints. FIRST DIVISION — THE SUN. 13 (of which I shall presently treat) on its own centre. Thus, metaphorically speaking, the sun's chariot- wheels are never at a stand ; and, under the direc- tion of infinite Wisdom, the day dawns in one part of the world while the night succeeds in another. " When to the western main the sun descends. To other lands a rising day he lends : The spreading dawn another shepherd spies. The \valueen of Heaven) froni the earth, is said SECOND DIVISION — THE PLANETS. 21 to be two hundred and forty thousand miles, and her diameter is two thousand one hundred and eighty. Her apparent magnitude arises from her comparative nearness to the earth, to which she is of various uses, by regulating the tides,* dissipating the gloom of night, &c. Although to us she ap- pears so large, astronomers say that the moon is much less than either of the inferior planets. The fact of her light being borrowed is well known ; she reflects the light of the sun when our world is turned from that monarch, and thus throws across the otherwise dark scenery of nature, some of her less glowing but cheering beams. This fact is well expressed by the poet: — "The silver moon her western couch forsakes, And o'er the skies her nightly circle make-; ; Her solid ^lobe beats back the sunny rays. And to the world her borrow'd light repays." Did the moon shine with her own native and unborrowed lustre, it seems she would always ap- pear full, like the luminary of the day ; but she varies in her appearances because she is tributary. Sometimes she exhibits only a slender streak, at others, half unveils her lovely face. Anon she ap- pears in her full beams, and shines forth in un- clouded and unsullied majesty. What we call a new moon^ is when the dark side of the moon " is turned towards the earth, which happens when she is between the sun and the earth;" and what we call a. full moon, **is when her illuminated side is turned towards the earth, which takes place when See section viii 22 THE HEAVENLY BODIES. the earth is between the sun and the moon." The cause of her motion is attraction ; and she revolves round the earth in about twenty-nine days, twelve hours. Hence the division of the year into months. If we view her as placed in the heavens merely to communicate light to our world, our admiration must be excited towards her adorable Author; — but if we view her as a ivorld — w hich she probably is, since astronomers assert that the telescope dis- covers mountains, hills, and valleys in her — if, I say, we view her as a world, teeming \>ith plenty, and inhabited, perhaps, by a superior race of be- ings, — we are lost in the immensity of the Divine operations, and exclaim, with delight and astonish- ment, ** Great and marvellous are thy works. Lord God Almighty! who would not fear thee, thou King of saints!" With this view of the subject, I am not surprised to find poets, philosophers, and sages, of different ages and countries, celebrating the praises of this fair luminary. You have not forgotten that un- rivalled night-piece of your favourite Homer — **As when the moon, refulgent lamp of night," S:c. (Iliad viii.) nor the charming melody of the divine Milton, who sings of " the moon full-orbed;" nor the inference drawn from her majestic appearance by the Royal Psalmist — ** When I consider tiie heavens, the work of thy fingers; the moon and the stars, which thou hast ordained; Lord, what is man, that thou art mindfid of him? and the son of man, that thou visitest him?" (Ps. viii. 3, 4.) I think, interrupted Lorenzo, the heavenly bo- dies alone, didy considered, are enough to con- lound the most subtle advocate of Atheism. And SECOND DIVISION — THE PLANETS. 23 surely — as the poet has well expressed it — surely, "Aa uiidevout astronomer is mad!" But, we must not stay to augment our reflections, and to argue the matter here, as you intend to combine them at the end of the discourse. You will, therefore, Eugenius, when we have taken some refreshment, (of which we now stand in need,) proceed with your description of the planets. The Planets continutd. Eugenius, after a short pause, resumed his dis- course on the heavenly bodies. 4. Mars is the next in order. Of this planet I briefly observe, that his appearance is globular, and he is said to be less bright than any of the others; his diameter is estimated at four thousand one hundred and eighty-nine miles; and he is distant from the sun one hundred and forty-four millions of miles — althou2:h he derives his lig-ht from the latter, round which he revolves. 5. Ceres. — This planet was discovered by the moderns, so recently as 1801. Her diameter is only one hundred and sixty-five miles, but her distance from the sun is two hundred and sixty millions of miles! And she performs her revolu- tion round the latter in four years, two hundred and twenty-one days, twelve hours. (3. The planet Pallas was discovered the year after Ceres; that is, in 1802. Her diameter, ac- 24 THE HEAVENLY BODIES. cording' to the computation of Dr. Herschel, is thirty miles, and her distance from the sun two hundred and sixty-six millions of miles. She takes four years, seven months, and eleven days, to go round the sun. 7. Juno, which was discovered so lately as the year 1804, is distant from the sun three hundred millions of miles, and makes her tour round the latter in the space of four years, one hundred and twenty-eight days. It appears that her diameter is not precisely ascertained. 8. Vesta, the next that claims our attention, is a modern planet, discovered so late as the year 1807; and, although her distance and magnitude are not yet correctly known, she is said to make her cir- cuit round the sun in three years, sixty-six days, four hours. 9. Jupiter and his satellites. — The more, Lo- renzo, we explore the planetary system, the further we are getting from the frozen and chilling regions of Atheism. If we have wondered at the miigni- tude of some of the planets, how will this wonder be increased by the contemplation of Jupiter! This, it appears, is the lariicst planet, its diameter being eightv-nine thousand one hundred and ^:oven- ty miles! He is said to be distinguisheil from the other planets by his brightness and magnitude. The time of his revolution round the sun is eleven years, three hundred and fourteen days, twelve hours, and twenty-three minutes, moving at the amazing speed of twenty-five thousand miles per hour; and is four hundred and ninety millions of miles from the sun ! Beyond this it may be observed of Jupiter, that, SECOND DIVISION — THE PLANETS. 25 because of his remoteness from *' day's all-cheering source," he is naturally deticient in reference to the light borrowed from that luminary, he has four satellites or moons, which revolve about him, (some little inferior to the earth in size,) and which afford him their diffusive light and influence. "The first satellite is two hundred and sixty-two thousand miles distant from Jupiter; the second, four hun- dred and twenty-three thousand; the third, six hundred and seventy-six thousand; the fourth, one million one hundred and eighty-nine thousand miles!" "These friendly moons with boirow'd lustre rise. Bestow their beams benign, and light his skies." 10. Saturn and his satellites are fraught with equal wonders. He is "one of the most stupen- dous of the planets," although to appearance only a small speck, and "shines with a pale feeble light," in consequence of "his immense distance from the sun and from the earth." His diameter is stated by some to be about seventy-nine thou- sand miles; he is distant from the orb of day nine hundred millions of miles, and is near thirty years in his journey round it. Among the phenomena peculiar to this planet, may be named the two lu- minous rings, one without the other, by which he is surrounded, which are frequently full as bright as the planet itself, and in general not much in- ferior. Their nature and uses are undetermined. Besides these, he has seven satellites, at different distances, which "move round him nearly on the plane of the rings," and which mark his history as truly wonderful. 26 THE HEAVENLY BODIES. 11. Uranus, or Georgium Sidus, was discovered by Dr. Herschel at Greenwich, in the year 1781, and "is the most remote j)lanet known in our sys- tem." He is said to be barely visible to the un- assisted eye, by reason of his immense distance from the earth. His diameter is tiiirty-five thou- sand one hundred and twelve miles, and he is distant from the sun one thousand eight hundred millions of miles! Nor less astonishing is the velocity with which he moves, which is stated to be seven thousand miles an hour ! He is known to have six satellites, and it is thought may have many more than have yet been discovered. Thus, Lorenzo, have we glanced at some of the wonders connected with the solar system, where the skill (if I may use the term) of Jehovah, is so eminently displayed. " Lo, tiiese are parts of his ways." Yet, slight and imperfect as is the present sketch, I think it sutHcient for my purpose, were there no other wonders in reserve to establish it more fully. " Instead of indulging in useless spe- culations, when contem})lating the wonders of the celestial bodies, we should ever bear in mind, that Ht who formed them was capable of sustaining and supplying the creatures he placed in them (supposing the planets to be habitable globes like our own) with every thing suited to their necessi- ties. Do we not see that some creatures are form- ed for living in the water, and others under ground ? And is it uidikely, then, that the inhabitants of the planetary orbs are fitted for the enjoyment of the situation in w hich they are placed ( Surely nothing ought to excite vulgar astonishment, or weaken our belief in any part of the harmonious SECOND DIVISION — TKR PLANETS. 27 and beautiful system of the universe, the work of an Ahiiip,iity Power — whose magnificence and tran- scendent grandeur, our most enlarged ideas are totally unable to comprehend."* At present I abstain from further comment; and, as we have protracted our enquiries to an unusually late hour, let us turn our attention to those glittering gems, the stars — which bespangle the boundless heavens, and "teach as well as shine." * C.itectusm of Astron. note, p. 16. SECTION III. OF THE HEAVENLY BODIES. Third Dicision — The Fixed Stars. *' Tlie glittering stars. By the deep ear of meditation lieard, Still iu their midnight watches sing of Him. THOMSON. After the most minute enquiry, Lorenzo, into those gems which we denominate the fixed stars, we are obliged to revert to the interrogatory of Holy Writ — "Canst thou by searching find out God? canst thou find out the Almighty to perfection'?" When we have explored our way for millions and millions of miles, we are overcome by the pursuit — we return again to earth — we leave the distant glo- ries of which we have had a glimpse — till another, and a better state, (when we shall be fitted to the employment,) shall reveal more fully their sublime and exalted history. In the mean time we may avail ourselves of our imperfect knowledge, inas- much as it is calcidated to lilt us above these lower scenes — even to the High abode of llim who is the great Author of all. THE HEAVENLY BODIES. 29 And what thinkest thou, Lorenzo, of yonder in- numerable stars, which sparkle in the immensity of space? Thinkest thou they were placed in their orbits by the hand of chance, and hold their sta- tion under no better regulation? How absurd the idea! It were equally rational to deny our own existence. Methinks, were it possible for the Atheist to strike the sun and the moon from the fair face of creation, the stars, glittering in the blue expanse, would alone be sufficient to confound his sagest pretensions. We now, as some one observes, turn over the most sublime page in the Book of Creation. "The fixed stars," says Ferguson, "are distinguished by the naked eye from the planets by being less bright and luminous, and by continually exhibiting that appearance which we call the twinkling of the stars. This arises from their being so extremely small, that the interposition of the least body, of which there are many constantly floating in the air, de- prives us of the sight of them : when the interposed body changes its place, we again see the star, and this succession being perpetual, occasions the twink- ling. But a more remarkable property of the fixed stars, and that from which they have obtained their name, is their never changing their situation with regard to each other, as the planets, from what we have already said, must be always changing theirs." These stars, as they can receive no light from the sun on account of their immense distance from it, and afford no light to our earth from the same cause — and as many of them require a good teles- cope to get a glimpse of their twinkling — are very naturally supposed to be suns, having worlds *D 3 30 THE HEAVENLY BODIES. revolving; round them, of which they are the cen- tre, and to which they communicate their light and influence. And, because of their immense distance, which is said to defy human calculation, it is rea- sonably concluded, that were our sun, though now so bright and glowing, placed at the same distance, it would appear as small as any one of them. "Consult with Reason, Reason will reply. Each lucid point wliich glows in yonder sky. With beams uiibonow'd biit;htens other skies, And worlds to thee unknown with heat and life supplies." The number of the fixed stars is by no means determined. A thousand have been seen with the naked eye on a very clear night, and the telescope discovers a much larger number; but astronomers suppose that a thousandth part has not yet been discovered. Dr. Herschel is said to have seen in the Milky Way, (which is *' a streak of light run- ning across the heavens, generally in the time of frost, and when the moon is invisible,") in one hour, by means of the telescope, fifty thousand stars! They are divided into constellations, by which is meant an assemblage of neighbouring stars, which are considered as resembling animals, &c. and receive their names accordingly, such as Ursa Minor, or the Little Bear; Ursa Major, ov the (jreat Bear; the NVolf, the Compass, and so on. "The northern hemisphere contains thirty-four constellations, including both the ancient and mo- dern ;" and the southern a much larger number. ]k'si(les these there are a number which are de- nominated unformed stars. They also vary in their apparent magnitude. ** Instead then of one sun, and one world only, in THIRD DIVISION — THE FIXED STARS. 31 the universe, as the ignorant in astronomy imagine, that science,' says Ferguson, "discovers to us such an inconceivable number of suns, systems, and worlds, dispersed through boundless space, that if our sun, with all the planets, moons, and comets belonging to it, were annihilated, they would be no more missed by an eye that could take in the whole creation, than a grain of sand from the sea- shore!" At least, so says my author: and facts, in addition to the testimony of other respectable writers, seem to confirm it. "What an august! what an amazing concep- tion ! (if human imagination can conceive it,) does this give of the works of the Creator ! Thousands of thousands of suns, multiplied without end, and ranged all around us, at immense distances from each other, attended by ten thousand times ten thousand worlds, all in rapid motion, yet calm, regular, and harmonious, invariably keeping the paths prescribed them; and these worlds peopled with myriads of intelligent beings, formed for end- less progression in perfection and felicity!" And, " if so much power, wisdom, goodness, and mag- nificence is displayed in the material creation — how great, how wise, how good must He be, who made and governs the whole!" "All these glories are His, and yet He cares for wie.'" "But I lose Myself in Him, in light ineffable! Come tlien, expressive silence, muse his prai,e!" SECTION IV. OF THE PHENOMENA OF THE HEAYENS. Comets — Eclipses — Narthern Lifi^hts — Atlraction or Gravi- tation — Air or Atmosphere — Winds — Chnds — }]'aler- Spout — Ruin — Hail — Sunw— Lighttiini; — Thunder. XHE excursion to the solar and planetary system havinc; proved so agreeable on both sides, it was determined that a similar meeting should take place on the next evcninp;, to discuss other won- ders of the material world, so large a portion of which was yet unexplored. Passing by, somewhat hastily, said Eugenius, the flaming comet, which strikes such terror into the mind of the uninformed and superstitious, but which is supposed, by astronomers, to l)e "an o|)a(pie heavenly body like a planet, nu)ving in its own orbit, which is very eccentric, and presenting an aj)pc:irance of being bearded, tnilcd, or haired, according to its position;" and whicii has its re- gular periods of revolution round the sun, though, from its orbit being so extensive, and its returns so PHENOMENA OF THE HEAVENS. 33 few, much of its history is yet in the bosom of fu- turity ; — passing by the general theory of eclipses of the sun and moon — the former of which is brief- ly said to be ** a darkness occasioned by the moon passing between the sun and the earth, and ob- structing the rays of light;" the latter " by the earth coming between the sun and the moon ;" — also the Aurora Borealis, or northern lights, the phenomena of which ** are supposed to arise from electric matter, and particles of the nature of light- ning," supplying in the polar regions, in some measure, the absence of the sun, by their vivid and brilliant light:— passing by these, let us ad- vert for a moment to a subject of quite a different nature, but one which, since the discovery of it by Sir Isaac Newton, explains many of the phenomena of the heavens and the earth, and accounts for many apparent impossibilities in the world around us. The subject to which I allude is the law of attraction or gravitation. Attraction is briefly de- fined — ** a certain principle in nature, by which all bodies and particles of matter tend towards each other." And " the attraction of gravitation is that law, or principle, by which the planets, satel- lites, and comets, tend towards the sun, and to- wards each other." Thus the earth and the planets are kept in their proper station, and poised so wonderfully, though rolling in the immensity of space, and hanging, as it were, upon nothing. Thus the sun is the centre of attraction, around which the mighty masses move, according to their several distances. Thus we account for many things which come under our daily observation, the causes of which would otherwise be to us 34 PVIENOMENA OF THE HEAVENS. iinkno\An. And thus are we relieved from all anx- iety in reference to the jarring or concussion of the worlds around us, the anticipated destruction of which mioht otherwise till us with dread.* What think \ou, interrupted Lorenzo, of refer- ring this wonderful law of the universe, to blind, uncertain chance — the Atheist's God? Think! why I should as soon think of referring the mechanical operations which are going on yon- der, that display such admirable contrivance and ingenuity, to the same unconscious agent. No, Lorenzo — there is something here, as in all the laws of nature, which plainly intimates the exist- ence of Nature s God! And happy is he who can identify his Father's hand, in the daily manage- ment and control of this wondrous law. Let us now, continued Eugenius, turn our atten- tion to the atmosphere, or the air that encompasses the earth on all sides— the element in which we breathe — without which we could not live — and whose properties are so wonderful. The height of the atmosphere is supposed to be about forty miles above the earth, and becomes gradually thinner and lighter towards the top. Its pressure is said to be about fifteen pounds upon every scpiare inch; and we sustain the pressure because we are our- selves fdled with the subtle fluid, '* and pressed by an ecpial force on every side." Its pr()})erties are many; one of which was just explained. In ad- dition may be mentioned, that though invisible, it • Ft U rcuiarkiiblr, that the fnllinff of nn apjile from ti tirr in an or- chard, is said to have lys : an intciestinif and instruc- tive publication. FIRST DIVISION — VEGETABLES. 45 ing, arise spontaneously, no, not even a blade of grass ; — I say, this fact, so pleasing to the lover of Nature, is confirmed by the testimony of a respec- table writer, in a small pamphlet which has lately made its appearance, under the title of *' Outlines of Botany." Speaking of plants, he says, — " That they may never become extinct, the number of their seeds is often immense; Ray counted thirty- two thousand in one poppy-head ! Where the seeds are less numerous, their safety is secured by the extra strength of the seed-vessel, their nau- seous, poisonous nature, and other means." He then adds — "The various modes in which they are spread over the face of the country, afford equal evidence of a peculiar providential care. The seed-down bears some through the air to a distance; some cling, by their rough appendages, to the coats of animals ; others are borne by neigh- bouring streams, or by the winds, to an immense distance; cocoa nuts float from the tropics to the shores of Norway ; African seeds are blown over the southern coasts of Spain ; and birds, animals, and even the seed-vessels themselves, by an ejec- tive power, all perform a part in the office of dis- semination." The number of plants known to botanists, near one hundred thousand, is surely worth our notice. And when we reflect that they are endued with a certain degree of sensation or life, approaching very near to animal existence, as instanced par- ticularly in the sensitive plant; that roots some- times change their form to suit the moisture or dryness of the soil in which they grow ; when we consider also the variety of seed-vessels, and of 46 THE EARTH IN GENERAL. Stalks or stems; the curious and interesting; ana- tomy of plants; the phenomena of vegetable life; the food of plants, which, botanists tell us, they search for by means of their roots; or the fact, ** that the root is gifted with the power of rejecting what is hurtful, and selecting what is beneficial to its parent plant;"* — I say, whether we consider all or any of these circumstances, it must be blind- ness indeed not to discover the operations of that Being, whose wisdom and whose power shine so conspicuously in this part of the fair creation. Apart from this recognition, indeed, how just is the inference of the poet — " What tlioni^li 1 trace each herb and flower That drinks the inornini? dew — Did I not own Jehovali's power. How vain were all I knew !" In this part of creation, how the eye is charmed with the rich profusion every where so conspicu- ous! There is something peculiarly pleasant to the eye in the cheerful green which forms a car- pet beneath our feet, and in the blue or azure sky. The wisdom of the Creator is here very conspicu- ous, as the organs of seeing are refreshed rather than injured by the view. "Common experience as well as philosophy tells us," says Dr. Watts, **that bodies of blue and green colours send out such rays of light to our eyes as are least hurtful or offensive; we can endure them longest: where- as the red and yellow, or orange colour, send more uneasy rays in abundance, and give greater confusion and pain to the eye." Oiilliiies of Hotaiiy, p Ti, G. FIRST DIVISION — VEGETABLKS. 47 And then, what abundant provision, during many months of the year, is afforded to the ani- mals which are scattered over the lowly valleys, the lofty hills, or the verdant fields, by the pro- duce of vegetation ! See too what a rich repast it yields to the various tribes of insects! of which v*'e shall presently treat. Not a plant or a flower but sustains innumerable multitudes of the insect tribe; and not a tree is there but affords a refuge to some portion of the feathered race, which sing among the branches. If we look forward, lo the clustering fruit hangs on the bending branches, and seems to invite us to the pleasing repast! If we gaze still further, herbs of various size and name, and of unparalleled medicinal qualities, present themselves in abundance. On the right and on the left the sense of smell is regaled by the odoriferous tlower-gardens, which contain inhabi- tants of every form and hue. And behind us is the spacious wood — " That clothes the weary steep, and waves in the breeze Her sea of leaves. Thither we turn our feet." What a comparatively wild and neglected spot is this! Yet here the all-bountiful Disposer of events deigns to visit, and to spread his life-giv- ing, life-sustaining influence around. " Behold the stately cedar stands, Rais'd in the forest by his hands!" Here is the stately oak, so long in coming to perfection, but which, when matured, seems to bid defiance, by its strength, to all opposition. Who that gazes upon it now would suppose that it once was no bigger than an acorn? or rather, that the 48 THE EARTH IN GENERAL. acorn was the germe of its future or present great- ness? Without the aid of the forest timber, where wouUI be the ponderous and noble vessels that glide along the liquid element? or what would support the more humble places of our abode, or the useful seats of merchandise? The sacred tem- ples too, those dwellings of Jehovah, and the scene of our devotion and praise, would want some of their main props and supporters. And, indeed, in every work of this kind, of the least magnitude, we should be continually put to a nonplus, had not Heaven so graciously provided these abundant aids to our industry and con- trivance. SECTION VL OF THE EARTH IN GENERAL. Second Division — Mountains. But we must quit this pleasant scene, Lorenzo, and go in search of others. The cool, the pleas- ing streams, we pass by at present; but yonder are the heaven-crowned mountains, to which we will repair. *' High and low, elevated or de- pressed, each corner of the earth affords matter for contemplation ; but no theatre is more instruc- tive than the craggy sides of tremendous moun- tains," (such as are to be seen abroad,) ** which rise in dreadful majesty — and whose venerable brows are charged with eternal ice." Compared with such as these, the mountains before us appear as the plain, and their height as nothing. The origin of these stupendous masses cannot be ascer- tained, though their uses may; and the tremen- dous height and astonishing phenomena of some of them, seem to bid defiance to all conjecture. — Guthrie makes mention of Norway as abounding in huge mountains, and says, from the peculiar F 60 THE EARTH IN GENERAL. formation and size of some of tlicni, having; im- mense caverns beneath, and reservoirs of water on the top, that they form a most surprising part of the landscape. Of all mountains, volcanic, or burning; ones, seem the most remarkable. Of these there are said to be one hundred and eighty-nine in ex- istence, though many are supposed to be extinct; and it is further stated, that as so much of the earth is yet unexplored, there are probably no fewer than two hundred and fifty!* Of these we have been accustomed to hear most of Mounts Vesuvius and Etna. The circumference of the summit of the former is said to be about three thousand feet; and the height of the latter, eleven thousand feet, or two miles, from the level of the sea.f Besides these, may be named the volcano of Stromboli, one of the isles of Eolus, in the north of Sicily, which has frequent eruptions; Hecla, scarcely ha- bitable by reason of the severe cold, whose top is always covered with snow, and its interior always filled with fire;t with a variety of others nearly as wonderful. " Volcanoes are the most awful phe- nomena known to man. Of their terrific sj)hn- dour, their deafening noise, their overwhehiiing torrents of burning lava, and their to\Vering masses of smoke," we ha\e freipiently heard, and stood awhile in silent astonishment; yet '* no one can form a just idea who has not seen one; and those who have seen them, find the powers of language inadecpiate to describe their feelings." Among mountains which are not volcanic, but * Wonders of Niilurc III! J Art, p 7L'. 1 Ibid, p. ;•;>. j Ibid. SECOND DIVISION — MOUNTAINS. 51 which are remarkable for their size and height, may be named the following, as enumerated in the work just referred to.* REMARKABLE RIDGES OF MOUNTAINS. The Himalayas, to the north of Hindostan, some of which are from twenty-five to twenty six thousand feet high. The Andes, in Peru, many of which are twenty to twenty-two thou- sand feet high. The Tartarian, sixteen thousand feet. The Alps, from ten to sixteen thousand feet. The Pyienees, from nine to ten thousand feet. The Norwegian, same height. The Stony Mountains, in North America, six or seven thousand feet. The Scottish Mountains, from four to five thousand feet. The Welsh Mountains, from three to four thousand feet. SINGLE MOUNTAINS. Sumatra Peak, sixteen thousand feet, Ttie Peak of Tenerlffe, twelve thousand three hundred feet. And— Mount Etna, (volcanic,) before named, eleven thousand feet, or two miles high. *' The spectacle," from these towering heights, ** has in it something magical and almost superna- tural." The tops and ascents of many of them are covered with verdure, which affords pasturage for animals which climb these steep precipices, and whose skins are useful to mankind; innume- rable springs also come gushing forth, and form sweet-flowing streams in the vales beneath; and in many other respects, these mountains seem well calculated to lead the mind to the *' awful God" who presides above all these inferior operations of his hands. • Wonders of Nature and Art, p. 9S. SECTION VII OF THE EARTH IN GENERAL. Third Division— The Mineral World. " Nor to the surface of the enliven'd earth, Graceful with tiills, and dales, and leafy woods, Her liberal tresses, is thy force coiifiird; But to the bowel'd cavern, darting deep. The mineral kinds confess thy mighty power." From the foregoing-, Lorenzo, at your request, 1 turn to minerals, or matter dug- out of the bowels of the earth. These, according to Mr. Locke, are called by one common name — fossils; compre- hending ** metals, minerals or half-metals, stones of divers kinds, and sundry bodies that have the texture between earth and stone." The Divine Wisdom is particularly discoverable in these secret recesses of the earth ; not only by the supplies afforded us, but by choosinc; this con- venient lodgment for them. Were they to be found on the surface of the earth, they would con- tinually be in our way, and be a bar to vegetation; THE EARTH IN GENERAL. 53 but the depository in which they are placed is not only removed out of the way of every thing of this kind, but seems, from some considerations which will presently appear, the most suitable that can possibly be imagined. Among the productions of these lower regions, let us begin with metals. Some of these, such as gold and silver, are very valuable and precious, and very useful also. By means of these, trade and commerce is conducted on a large scale, and labour receives its remuneration; and though dug out of the bowels of the earth, they form splendid ornaments and utensils for the use or embellish- ment even of royalty. Besides these, art has made them subservient to many other and impor- tant services. But though less valued, and of coarser texture, not less useful perhaps is iron. Without this me- tal, which grows in such abundance, trade would almost be at a stand, as there are few implements in trade which do not partake of its strength- giving power. Then may be named that useful metal, copper, such large portions of which you have noticed on the exterior of our ships, to pre- vent the incursions of the waters, as well as to add strength and durability to those ponderous vessels. The domestic circles also confess the use of the latter, as many articles in the household economy are formed of this enduring substance. Next to these, (though less durable, yet extremely useful,) may be named the common white metal, tin, which, under the contriving hand of Art, is used for a variety of purposes. Nor must the soft me- tal, lead, be overlooked, as without it we should F 3 54 THE EARTH IN GENERAL. want a most desirable requisite in building, &c. Last, not least, from some of these, or from a combination of them, are formed those indispen- sable vehicles of literature and science, the print- ing-types — by means of whose all-prolitic power, the '* thoughts that breathe and words that burn," may be transmitted, at a small expence, from one part of the earth to another, and enlighten, and moralize, and evangelize, where their author never was known ! Thus kind is the Author of Nature in this por- tion of the works of his hands. Shall we turn from these, Lorenzo, to those hard substances de- nominated stones, of various hues and texture? Here infinite Wisdom immediately discovers itself. For it is said to be a fact, that those enormous, hard, and heavy stones, so useful in building, when in the quarry from which they are dug, are so soft, that they may be cut out of their beds with comparative ease, though, immediately they are freely exposed to the air, they become ex- tremely hard and dural)le. — Were they thus hard in their birth-j)lace, it would be next to impossible to raise them from their beds; and were they thus soft when used in our bridges or dwellings, the very circumstance would render them liable to im- mediate decay, nor coidd we reckon at all on the safety of those ])laces in which they formed a pro- minent feature. But is the Atheist wise in refer- ring all this to chance ? In these secret repositories, Lorenzo, as just hinted, are stones of various sorts and hues — some precious, some common, some transparent, some op-.upie — and they are valued a