Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1828-09-18

Creation Of the substance which may deVelope
light. He Pounds his opinion on me research
es Of Doctor Young, and those Of VI. fresnri'
which have made the theory OF VIBRATIONS pre-
vail over tina, Of emission, which Newton sup
ported. According 20 the first OF fhese 'heo'
ries, the creation of the fluid which was 10
become luminous, was independent oil the crea>
ton Of the sun, that star being even CONSIDERED
since the time Of Herschel, as an opaque oouy'
and therefore light may have been In TACT pro-
duced from The beginning
BY the creation Of the heaven we Can ohif'
however, understand space, and the oooleS
which compose the universe, all which mign'
then have been, as is now, comprehenoeo In
that indeterminate acceptation. But this crea-
lion does not absolutely suppose the existence
Of stars in the state in which we now see tnem'
The sun nigh, form part Of the creation ci the
heaven, without having yet tina. luminous 'us''e
BY which il is now distinguished; nor 90 scieh'
life theories oppose the admission Of sue"
hypothesis. Thus there is nothing TO pre'eh'
US from supposing that the manifesto o' 'he
stars took place only on the fourth day, or at the
fourth epoch. The author has not even thought
il necessary to mention this observation.
He gives an account OF the opinions OF geolo
gis,s or natural philosophers, respecting the
fact, the earth covered WAS with water. his
opinion is at tie present day one 81 the most
incontestable facts A, the same time, ob,erva'
tions leave no doubt with regrrd TO the lgneous
nature Of the fuidity OF the globe at the begin"
ming; but scarcely had the cooling OF ITS surface
permitted the gases Of the immense atmosphere
which surrounded il 10 condense, when IN tact
the surface of the earth was entirely covered
with waer. Thus the account OF the hrst day S
work must be considered By every mind, mol
led away with prejudice, and not seeking IN II
for tina: strictness Of expression with which the
very general terms in which il is delivered
are incompatible, as being in pert ct acc ordance
with the facts and theories admitted by science
On the second day, the waters which envel-
oped our planet, were divided in such Tan-
ner, tina, a portion rose into the upper regions.
On the third day, the dry land began to appear;
plants sprung from its bosom, verdure and
flowers embelished it. On The fourth day, the
sun, the moon, and the stars shone IN the hrma-
men. On the fifth, 6,hes swan in the waters,
birds few in The air, reptiles crept In tie dust,
and quadrupeds walked on the surface of the
earln Lastly, on the sixth day, man appeared.
The Bishop passes rapidly over all the facts
contained in this part Of The Mosaic record,
with the exc option Of the work OF The sixth day;
he has not Judged j, pxpedient or necessary, II
would appear, 10 explain each oil these facts IN
detail, but confines himsrlf TO some general re-
arc,ions, with the view Of showing tina, this
successive formation Of beings is not opposed
by any authenticated observation. In fact, the
second period designales the time when an e.
quilibrium must have been established between
the waters Of the sea and those which are con
tanned in the atmosphere; the third, that when
the successive diminu'ion OF the walers unco-
yfred the first surfaces Of the earth, Which
with that primitive veseratlon, the remsins Of
which are found in the oldes, secondary rocks
but here it IS necessary 10 clear up diffic ulty
which has frequently been adducsd as a very
embarrassing argument, and to. which recenl
observations enable US to give a satisfactory ex-
PLANTATION. How could plants have grown and
propagated at time when the sun did lot vet
shine in the armament? The proper he a, &C
quired by the terrestrial globe from its original
inoandescence, was sufficient to develope and
support 'his vegetation, and may explain the
apparent difficulty in question. The central
heat oil Button, which has thrown so much dis
credit on the theory Of that illuslrious natural
Isl, is now among the number Of the most &C.
credited facts, and is supported by all The OBJ
ser'atIons IN geology and physics. ! hs phe-
nomena oil volcanoes, earthquakes, and hot
springs, Can only be accounted tor by this by
po'hesis; all the circumstances Of which are
moreov'r In accordance, as VI. Fourier has
sh"wR, wish the mathematical theories respec, |
lrS ne cooling ri bodies submitted 10 the inGu- |
ence OF high temperature. We were ,h. frs,
who, IN these latter times, endeavoret 10 re-, |
vive The memory of Buffan with re gard to The
fundamental ideas of his theory Of The ear h. !
ana 10 explain all the changes which The ami
NAL and vegetable kingdoms have undergone a,
The surface OF the globe, pm cipaly on the
ground OF the reduction of Temperature Our
theory on this subject was even extended bv
learned Enslishman, Dr.. Crichton, who proved
The independence which the original climate Of
The terrestrial globe mus, have maintained with
respect 10 the solar heat. All the proofs which
ne adduces form blaze Of ligh, which leave,
10 doubt regarding this subjec'; SO that, pro
;eeding from this important da UNI, we no, only
IAN conceive how the primitive vegetation Of
he earth's surface could have existed indepen.
ien'ly OF The solar heat, but the same obserya.