Richmond daily times. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1853, 1852-02-04
LEGAL Intelligence, City News,6e.
PROFESSOR GIryoT,s IFCTIrpr

PROFESSOR GUYOT'S LECTURE
A large audience of ladies' and gentlemen, assem-
b'ed at the Lecture Room of the Alheh;eum, Monday
evening, 10 hear the address of Professor Guyot ON
the subject OF the Physical Geography Of the Amer.
can Continent, or the new world as compared with the
Continents of Europe and Asia. The lecturer stated
his OBJECT to be not only to race out the physical
characters which belong prominently each of these
two divisions of the GLOBE but likewise to draw some
conclusions naturally flowing from the study, and TO
attempt TO sketch at least the outlines of subject
more grand and important stl-the peculiar functions
assigned by Providence TO each Of these portions
OF our planet In the great work of the development
and gradual Improvement OF our race.
We have seen, continued The Professor that one of
me chlef characteristics Of all civilized communities
is arenewed and increased interest in all the varous
sciences, whose object is investigate nature and The
globe We inhabn Few objects indeed are more
worthy OF attention and of more immediate utility
TO mankind than our globe. The earth is the garden
OF God, gwen 10 man 10 Tossess, 10 cultivate and to
ENJOY 1t Is his abode and The theatre of his activv
ana ought not man at least TO expore and survey his
domalnt But the globe is something more st-lt is
wonderful organlsm-a marvellous work of ART
achieved by the hand OF the Creator who after hav
ing completed 1t, declared 1t to be very good. Is it
no therefore, mans duty to study it, to seek to un-
derstand II, and to admire the wisdom of its divine
maker, while he reveres his power and adores his
gpdahess Neverlheess for thousands of years the
most enlightened nations of antiquity knew but
little OF the world beyond the very spots on which thew
ned nor did they care TO discover new countries
cept Tor the purpose OF making conquests or ACQUIRING
riches. The knowledge of Physical Geog Apply is Of
modern oriein, and takes its date from the important
enterprise OF Columbus, whose grand discovery open
ed the western hemisphere TO The civilized world
Daring adventures in the first instance undertook
the work OF exploration-the Governments of the
most impo ant nations in Europe afterwards contir~
ued the enterprise and after the lapse of three centuries
succeeded IN making known us, all the great CONT
nents whch compose our domain. This first survey
OF our Globe, may be said 10 have been accomplished
ior Whatever lands remain undiscovered, lie in the
frozen regions of both poles, and will never constitute
an addition OF any.vaue to mankind Another work.
however remains 10 be done.
i his survey has made us acquainted with number
OF countries which exhibit variety of climate We
gsaton and Of products. This dvsrsi is so great that
no spot on the globe may be sad TO be Identical in
every respect with another and yet physics teach US
that the great physical laws, which govern matter are
invarabe. We know, for example, that The rays OF
me sun, the great source OF heat, distributed
win mathematic al re guiarity, the whole globe
50 that pla ces situated in the same latitude rec+ve
the same amount OF heat But why do see at this
moment IN Rlchmond the river covered with thick
coaling OF ice and all vegetation arrested while in
Sicily on the other side of the Atlantic at this very
season. the oranges in bloom-ve ge tation is ever
fresh ami the atmosphere is mild and The thermome-
ter does not descend TO the eeZng point once in so
years? Compare the mild and moist climate and eter-
ma verdure OF green Ireland with the frozen regions
OF Labrador, under the same latitude-or the West
india Islands, with their exuberant vegetation and
their abundant rams with the burning wastes of Sa-
hara, where not crop oil rain ever falls and the ST.
lehce OF def tn relgns supreme. Even this CONT
nent, why do we find in Oregon mild rainy winters
ami IN March the meadows green, while under the
me parallels the rivers of Lake Superior ore for
many months more covered with thick mantle of
Ice ana snow these are 80 many enquiries that are
to be solved.
Neither Physics alone, nor Geology can give us the
key TO understand these phenomena. There is in.
deed at the bottom of all, a geographical element
when introduces IN nature this wonderful variety,
seeming to be at variance with the general la VS.
WI ich govern the planets and this geographical se-
men is. that OF the iorms the and the rt atiye
situation OF the territorial masses and of the oceans
This view OF the subject is of primary importance
Indeed, 1T is the spherical form Of globe which
causes the unequal distribution OF light and hea COM
nature from the equatorial regions TO both poles s.
That determines also the great oil temperature
and the general course of the winds and OF the wa
tiers OF the ocean. But the land and the ocean are
heated IN d Herent manner and hence TIE great in
equality OF climates productions, &C., between diff
Trent nations, situated in the same latudes. The
distribution ofand and water the form and the sltua-
ton ct the continents vii! thus Introduce an endless
variety OF phenomens Each country will have
OF its soil. and series of oIssnized beings -viiiu
will be peculiar 1t will be acted upon by the
nrtsfbormg countries and will react in its turn upon
them; snd thus we are led TO conceive the whole
globe as vast organism the great organs of which
aie continents. with their distinct physi-
cal regions. II Is in this light that should study
the spherical characters OF the new world and of the
old "
The lecturer then entered into minute examina.
ton OF the situation, forms and of the va-
GUS countries of the globe and closed his address
much 10 the delight and edifca,ion Of all present.