Glasgow weekly times. (Glasgow, Mo.) 1848-1861, 1852-02-26
Correspondence Of the Tines
WAsHINGToN, d. c., Feb. 8, '52.

WAsH1NeToN, D. c., Feb. 8, '52.
Dean GREEN The man who starts a
''new thing under the sum-" should be well
fortified with facts to sustain it, or he is in
danger of being laughed at. Perhaps have
already incurred this from those of your
readers who have given my last letter Pc
rusal. That the earth should grow as a
sapling, or as an animal, or even as a mole
hill, few are prepared to admit. That the
land part has encroached upon the water
may not be so difficult to prove, if we take
into view the numerous islands which have
sprung up in the ocean-the work of in
sects, the deposit of sediment, the growth
of plants, &c. That the land has lost in one
place and gained in another, is no proof
against the idea that it is increasing in guam
tity, or improving in quality, SO as to meet
the growing wants Of man. 1t is admit
ted on all hands that mankind is increasing
in number, SO much so, that some philoso-
pher has contended that soon there will be
no room for them on the dry land. Ami
mails, too, increase with the increase of man.
So does vegetable production. All these
return to the earth, increasing, like the
leaves and decaying branches of trees, earth
ly matter. Some of this earthly matter may
be taken up in the growth of other trees,
&c., but the greater portion remains as per-
manent earth-all vegetable and animal mat
ter depending more upon air and water for
its growth, than from any particles of earth.
Even the silicium, which forms the enamel
of the teeth of animals, and the outer coat
ing of straw and cane, is drawn from the
water or the atmosphere, or from BOTH
Some will say that the slick, or flinty rock
has been dissolved by carbonic acid for this
purpose, but think silex is nothing more
than oxygenated carbon, remotely akin to
the diamond, which is carbon hardened and
purified by oxygen. Electricity is the ST.
lent and imperceptible agent in the opera
ton; not electricity as seen in explosive
heat and light, but the cold, subtle electri-
city which pervades all matter and gives
shape to everything animate or inanimate-
the motive power by which everything is
formed.
To return to my theory of the growth oi
the earth l must make it harmonise with
Holy writ, or it will be worth nothing. Goo
as the author of all things, inspired Moses
Ito write an account Of the creation. ''II
the beginning God created the heaven ant
the earth. And the earth was Wfhola form
and void, and darkness was upon the fact
of the deep, andthe spirit of God moved up
E on the face of the waters." "The deep" ant
''the acaterS," refer to the same thing, ant
' mean clearly that the uniformed waters O.
$ acqueous gasses pervaded Sin the begin
:, ming" These waters he formed partly int
dry land "And God called the dry lan'
I earthi and the gathering together Of the wa
ters called he seas" Then comes tn
- growth of plants, sc. "And God said lie
the earth bring forth grass, the herb yield
! ing seed, and the fruit tree yielding frui
S after its kind, whose seed is in itself, upo
d the earth; and it was so." After which W
}. have the growth of fish, whale and fowl
'And God said, let the waters bring fort
abunlantly the moving creatures that hat
life, and fowle that may fly above the cart
j. in the open frmement of heaven" The
we have the growth Of cattle, SC. San
God said, let the earth bring forth the liz
to Ting creature after his kind, cattle and creep
y, ing thing, and beast of the earth after hi
d. kind, and it was so." Last, he made MAJ
who should "multiply and rcplenish til
earth, and subdue it."
&c have extended my remarks and quota
tions SO far on this subject that l have Il
room for anything of light nature. In fac
: romantic incident would be out of place
this connection.
b Yours, truly,
TANTALUS.