Litchfield enquirer., 1835-10-08
LECTURES ON GEOLOGY,
 RY PROFESSOR sILLIMAN.


 He did not consider it as probable that the round stones which are now scattered over the globe, received their roundness from the deIuge of Noah; because that did nor coniin- ue l0ng enough to produce such an effect.- They must have therefore been wrought into their present shape and smoothness by prece- ding deluges of longer continuance. The fragments from Mount Blanc are not round ed. The idea of ice for the transportation of boulders he thought not inconsistent with the high temperature of the earth which has been supposed to exist; for at the time of the del uges the highest temperature had gone and besides, it is we'll known that an ascent from the surface of the earth immediately brings one into a cold temperature. High mountains under the line are covered with snow and ice.
 The Mastodon has been discovered in three places in Connecticut. He probably once WaSSaered over New England, but was rather a stranger to this part of our country. En Derbyshire, England. we'll was excavatrd 70 feet, through rock, when suddenly the rock ceased, and the workmen found them selves in mass of loose materials, consisting of leaves and trees. This all at once s'ld down, and brought them into vast cavern in which there was an entire RhiaoceFos. ID looking about, they discovered an ancient channel upward to the surface. which was large enough for the entrance of the animal. He could not have stumbled in for in that case he would have been at the bottom of the cavern, and not up in the soft formation where he was found lying. His situation proves that he was swept in by deluge along with the masses in which he was embedded. The lecturer said he threw out these facts. and for want of time he must leave the audience to apply them, which they could easily do.
 As to the physical cause of the delugc, he said we were not bound to find any, as it was sent as punishment for sin. Causes had been coniectured, which were unworthy of regard; such as the approach of a comet near enough to the earth to attract the water out of it's usual place and cause it to overflow the land; andthe shifting of the axis of the earth several degrees. SD that the waters would at once rush over the earth. Either of these causes could have produced the effect; but there is not the least evidence that either was ever in operation. "
 Mir. Silliman referred to the Indian tradi- tion respecting the mastodon, and quoted the
 beautiful language of Mir Jefferson in his Notes
 on Virginia, and recited specimens of Indian
 poetry on the same subject. l , 7ts .sfg
 He said the metallic veins rarely occurred above the transition rocks, and there were many theories respecting the manner inwhich the metals were formed. He did not presume to gise an opinion; they might have been formed cOntemporaneously with the rocks themselves, and of substances coming out of them. Though sometimes iron was in beds Seio,a S'' se"ssa''y metals were in the granite
 He represented the geology of the United States as of highly interesting character.- New England was altogether primitive, with the exception Ofthe sandstone in the valley of the Connecticut, a small section in the east ern part of Maine which is transition, DOT tion of Rhode Islsnd which is also transition, and little basin of sandstone in Worcester. The transition is in the vicinity of Lake Champlain; along the Hudson and in New Jersey is the trap; the middle and southern parts of the Union are tertiary and diuyium the ridge of the Alleghany is primitive 1; there IS vast basin of secondary ia the. valley of ahe Mississippi; and the ridge of ihe Rocky Mountains is primitive. The usual minerals, | such as salt, coal and lime, are found in these formations. 2s.2e '', a5h#
 a, The Professor now introduced the coinc- aences of geological facts with the first chap ter of Genssis. He was aware, he said, there 1 was feeling of anxiety very prevalent, lest in bringing forward such facts. and reasoning upon them, the Bible would suffer in it's char. l 'acfer. It seemed to be the common opinion ] that there was no great lapse of time between l the creation of the materials of the world, and | Inc creation of Adam. One thing he said l should be relied on; namely, that it was al- | ways safe to follow truth it could not lead 1 astray; and 1t should be remembered the ac- 1 count of the creation by Moses was only sub s'dlary to the history of man.
 !. In the first verse of the first chanter of Genesis. an unlimited time is announced: In the begining God created the heaven .ond tke eGrth. Here was just the indefinite space of time declaled, which geologists regarded as necessary. They might go back just as far as they pleased in the formation of she earth. without departing from the statement of Mo. ses. "f @sa6 SnIrs.f IT
 2. The condition of the earth is represen. teu as dark mass of waters. The edrM aUas ao,tacas tornss &c. This is exactly the state wn'cns geology would require. Cuvier gave Moses the credit of inspiration for having stased thls fact. As the Hebrew law -giver Was not a geologist, he could have known notn'ng of such state from that source nor would he have ever cooiectured it in forminr ! E unauthorized theories. He could have lsarre ~ ed such fact and such truth only from in. ~ spirafion. Geology makes the presenca of . incumbent waters necessary for the fornaa. fion of the rocks of the globe. ll .a n.s,t., ?. There was 2 movement of divine encr. gy upon the face of the waters. In our pres ent inquiry the lecturer said, it was of no consequence t0 us what that was. The ef- iect ot It probably was the going forward ol some of the formations which have been des. 2 cribedi in this course. efp lJs9.as :. U | .4. Light appeared, and there was divi. aw Mn Ahnh hsohk A l "A