itself to an extent which cannot be conceived. The workings of the mind thus furnish a spiritual imitation of the material functions of the body.

With such a connection and such a mutual dependence, it is sufficiently evident how much the rational thinking, or perfect working of the mind, must be dependant on the integrity of the body: hence the justice of the wise old adage, "mens sana in corpore sano."

CHAPTER III.

OF THE CHANGED CONDITION OF THE EARTH.

It was well understood in ancient times, that the land originally formed a continuous circle, whose border was extended, at a prodigious height above its present surface, through the upper regions. We observe this terrestrial circle spoken of in sacred ISA. XL. history, as in this instance: "It is he that sitteth upon the circle of the earth, and the inhabitants thereof are as grasshoppers; that stretcheth out the heavens as a curtain, and spreadeth them out as a tent to dwell in."

22.

The for

stone.

The operations of man in his interference with mation of the mineral kingdom, have had the effect of causing a formation of stone, commencing at some small depth beneath the surface of the earth, and of unknown extent downwards. And having taken place by means of the unnatural entrance of subterranean vapour into combination with the matters of the earth, in its passage upwards; so that, when the stony formation was completed, those vapours, which are continually generated in the interior of the earth, being no longer absorbed and solidified, became imprisoned, and, when existing in a state of collection and condensation, which, under the integrity of the earth's system, could never have occurred, they form explosive mixtures, giving rise to subterranean lightning, the cause of earthquakes. By the irresistible force of such subterranean ex

plosions, the circle of the earth was rent by large chasms, letting in the water, so as to divide the land into large portions; and independantly of these great ruptures, a second series, of less extent, occurred over the surface of the earth, and by means of their force, the hard stony crust was rent, and raised up through the superincumbent soft stratum, and the fractured portions, more or less widely separated, being made to slide over the subjacent material, and to drive up the stone beyond them, were left standing in elevated positions, with their faces towards each other, perpendicular or slanting upwards, but in broken and irregular ridges: in this way the stony mountains and their valleys were formed.

Accordingly the mountains of the earth are apt to occur in irregular parallel lines, corresponding in magnitude; with their opposite faces forming the most rapid declivities; with a more gentle descent in the contrary direction; and it has constantly been observed that the convexities in the mountains on the one side, have been wont to correspond wonderfully with the concavities in the opposite range of mountains; so that if their broken faces could be brought together again, they would fit with great precision this rule, as observed by all naturalists, is constantly found to prevail. The mutual correspondence between the faces of opposite mountains, affords one of the strongest proofs that they have been formed in this way.

During these stupendous explosions, vast masses Scattered of granite becoming detached, and lying loose in granite. the gullet of the chasm, at the instant of its first

of conti

opening, and so receiving the full impetus of the upward blast, would be propelled many miles through the air; accordingly such blocks of granite, of many tons in weight, are found scattered about on the surface of the earth, in some places, in great numbers; and in particular instances they have happened to alight and rest upon the sides and summits of mountains far distant.

This stupendous work of nature, is clearly adverted to in the fourteenth and fifteenth verses of the forty-second chapter of Isaiah: "I have long holden my peace; I have been still, and refrained myself; now will I cry like a travailing woman; I will destroy and devour at once. I will make waste mountains, and hills, and dry up all their herbs." "Now will I cry like a travailing woman," alludes to the great explosive out-bursts, by which the tearing open of the subterranean stony envelopement was accompanied; thus the earth cried to be delivered of the imprisoned vapours, which naturally would find a free and facile passage. will destroy and devour at once." During these vast convulsions, there was necessarily very great destruction in the vegetable and animal worlds, and swallowing up and devouring of the creatures of the earth, which may account for the great coal deposites.

"I

Formation The effect of such subterranean explosions would nents and be that of creating great caverns in the interior of islands. the earth; these might at first become filled with

water, but the entrances by which the water found access would be apt to be closed up by the falling in of earth and stone, and as there is a continual

consumption of water in the interior of the earth, they would at length become empty and ready to receive a larger volume of the explosive vapours, by which the moving powers would be wonderfully increased. In this way, it appears that the continents. and islands have been formed, by the violent rending of the superficies of the circle of the earth, and hurling its fragments to great distances, throwing it into the confusion in which it at present exists.

Thus it appears that some of the land has been hurled from the tropics, into the frigid regions of the north, carrying with it, its waters and its inhabitants, who have suddenly become locked up in ice. Accordingly the melting of the northern ice has been observed to disclose the bodies of tropical animals, with all their flesh well preserved, and so it is probable that the bodies of great numbers of animals and men may still remain frozen in the ice, continuing in the same state as that in which they died, and without any decomposition of their flesh. Hence the bones of tropical animals are commonly found on the frozen shores of the north.

and disco

Atlantis.

Ancient historians speak of a great continent Disapwhich formerly extended from the strait of Gibraltar pearance along opposite the coast of Africa, called the very of Atlantis; this land disappeared, as it is stated, very suddenly, during a terrific earthquake. The opposite coasts of South America and of Africa are so wonderfully correspondent in form, as to show that they were certainly once united. It is certain that South America has been torn from the great cavity on the opposite coast of Africa, the projection northward, partly occupying the space now between

C