American watchman and Delaware advertiser. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1822-1828, 1826-04-21
FoR THE wATcHMAN.
No.I

am not about to enter into eny examn,,o,
defence Of The theory Of Major Symmes ~,
serving from the papers iha, he has arrived ~ "
Atlantic side OF this continent, and as il il n,oh..,
that he and his friend Reynolds will be enn.r.as
delivering lectures on the subject Of his ,hsorr
our cities and towns, have felt an inc,n.,,1n,
treat him with candor, and to weigh and evan,;.
what he may have to offer TO US, although i, ,nI
new and strange. This, however, is no oo ,na!
son for ridiculing his views, as observe tha ~.
persons have taken the liberty TO do and hv sia
pant observations to bring that into conte mn, III;
they have taken no palms. and perhaps hsy. ' ~,
capacity to understand. Now, although CONF
my entire ignorance of this theory, excep, ~ w.
as has been publicly declared through the naO.'
/. e. that he enterans an opinion that the Coh. y
nhabit is not solid as has heretofore been snnnn,.
but is holtoW, and capable of sustaining animal Il.
within It. ] know not that he pretends to .unno"
that It IS the residence OF human 6eings-but m.,.
y as has heretofore been supposed, that il is mi
solid mass OF matter. 1t has occurred to m. -.
reason for examining without making spor, ri II.
Itheory-that ideas entertained by the cel.br.,.,
Christopher Columbus, of there being con,i0.s.
capable Of furnishing q habilatioR for man b;d;"
the obscurity and distance of the western ocean en-
trely out OF the view and even of the imspin,.
tons of Europeans, we're treated as table, and with
ridicule, for an age, by the most sagacous Of ii.
European Nations land yet ace nor hnou tba,E,
theory was correct one and that millions Of huma,
beings find comfortable homes, where once il woDd
have been thought as impossible, as that thew shoun
exist at the centre of the earth. Astronomers An
US that the Globe that nhabit is in diameter abo
5000 miles; and il we please 10 give it shell Of l0O
miles in thickness, still We have space ,oitkin d
6000 miles on every side ;-suficien, we must A.
low, for mountains, lakes, and seas and vet with
land sufficient 10 support millions Of creatures en-
joying the blessings OF life, and therefore par,kn,
Of the bounty Of their Creator.
When we consider the immense displays Of vi,
dom that come to our notice on this outside she'll Of
this Globe and the economy that the Divine Pow
er appears TO observe in all his Notwithstanding
and causing life to abound wherever it seems nos
sible for II to exist, and even where we should mol
suppose such possibility, had not human ingenuity
produced so much perfection in the microscope
from circumstances OF this nature it would seem
reasonable to conclude that it is possible and not
improbable that the same Pouer would make US,
of the spare room tina, the interior of the Clob.
would Afford TO extend the principle that seems 10
gorern on its exterior surface, for extending and
increasing the qaantum of life But it will be sid
perhaps, how is il possible that creatures of any
Kind can exist as ii were, in the hollow of ball.
from the comfortable influences OF the sun, and
many other enjoyments that abound on the outside
But in making this inquiry we forget TO make The
proper allowance also, tor the power, wisdom, and
goodness OF Him, who is the Creator OF all things
and who, IN forming the earth that we nhabit, has
shown tina, He IS capable OF performing erery thing
that IS not inconsistent nth his oun nature. We
also neglect TO take notice of our brethren among
animal tribes that live almost as much excluded
from the influences Of the sun and air, as if they
were enclosed in the interior Of the Globe. Many
such creatures exist, both among the animal and
insect tribes. however need mention but two
the Locust and The Mole, the former, who after
short residence on the erterior surface Of the Globe
buries himself in it, and remains hid from human
sight and observation for long period Of time, as
much or more than their appearance upon the sur
face. II then this Divine Power can thus provide
a class OF creatures capable of such long periods OF
nhuma,lon, there surely is nothing impossible IN
causing the interior Of the earth to be inhabited BY
class OF creatures adapted TO that situation-wh'
may not only possess life, but enjoy pleasure also
MENTOR.