Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1841-04-09


a late number of "Hunt's Merchants Maya
zine," attributes the deposition Of the NUM-
erous coal beds found in various portions OF
the United States, 10 the action Of the water
during the Mosaic delugc. The flood itself
he accounts for, not by regarding it as a
miracle designed to punish the wickedness
of mankind but as the result of the attrac-
ton of the water by the near approach to the
earth Of Halley's Comet at that period Of
time. The following paragraph will give
the reader some idea of the utter absurdity
of the view of the writer:
an the case of the tides the influence is now daily
manifested by the hcaplng up of the waters on that
side of the earth next TO the moon and similar result
is produced at the antipodes When the and moon
the side of the EARTH the effect increased
and when they are IN opposition, it is diminished a
| nearer approach of n smaller heavenly body would
produce greater effect and this influence would be
augmented in proportion 10 the dimnution of the dis
| lance. by the very near approach of one OF these
bodies, Of a comet, the water would be heapcd up
that side by the force of attraction, to the height
of several thousand feet and being held there by that
power the earth by revolving on her axis would pass
lis surface through this heap of water and thus create
current moving from east to west of nearly thou
sand miles an hour. Such a current, as we may red
lily imagine would strip the surface, not only the
plants but would plough up the soil ITSELF mixing the
| whole in chaotic confusion
That said Comet must have been a bold
operator to have seized the water upon this
mundane sphere and held it still, as a man
holds an axe upon grindstonc, while the
earth rcvolves npon its axis, giving a friction
between it and the watcry mountain above,
equal to current of thousand miles an
hour! Water, some miles deep, moving on
the surface of the earth al the rate of a thous-
and miles an hour-was there ever sucl
arrant nonsense? And yet this inconceiva-
bic uproar in the elements is set in motor
for the express purpose of dcpositny Goa
strata so quietly in the bed of the ocean, tina
5 the finest steams, and thincst leaves of the
. primitive vegetable, have left their full anc
perfect impress upon the supcr-imposct
, rock.
r And then, that the kinds of vegetable
which are alone found in coal formations
e should have hourishcd on the earth down t,
. the time of the Mosaic dcugc, and suddcntl,
t been swept from its surface and seen NJ
: more, is marvel which it will require some
S thing more potent than an unruly comet evcl
to explain.
If at the time of Noaii,s flood the whol
surface of the earth was swept with "A curren
:
the hundreadth part of the velocity ascrbc
TO it by this learned and scientific writer
, what would have been the appearance of tn
:. "dry land" after the comet had Withdraw
!, its balcful influence, and allowed the water
: to subsidc
1t is quite amusing to witness the cxrcm
;, complaccncy will, which this cxpoundcr
20 biblical and geological svstcrcs announce
J. to the world his views upon these occu
l. subjects.
- lfthc coal beds were deposited at as late
period as the Mosaic dcugc, when the car,
|. was not only covered with its present fore
9 trees, but with innumcrablc animals of II
~ class mammalia, not to mention the huma
" species, how happens it that the remains
=, none of these arc found buried with ii
y vegetables peculiar to coal formation!
m But it is waste of words to attempt
= argue a matter which is so prcposterouS TN
A. it can only be reached by ridiculc. o.
at marvel Is, that 81. BLUNT, Esq should ha,
of given uttcrance to such downright absurdi
as in lecture before the American Institute
I'd or that, having done so, it should have bee
deemed worthy of publication in so respec
1T able periodical as Hunts Merchants Mag
j. zine.