The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1853-12-04
Professor Doremus on the History or Gre
aflOn.


Troessor Doremus delivered the lat lecture Of his
upon The above subject last evening" in the lecture
room of the Medical College very large and attentive
audience present, including many Of most dis
tineushed sora and several we'll known and venerable
clergymen Said the lee uier-Hayng previous DOCS.
sions considered the ton Of the heavens which
py the 6rst period in the Mosaic account will return
to slar home We behold the earth at first cooling
aud at the tins shrinking it oools and thus cayi
ties formed which resting places for the
tt the dry land appears for the Deity has sadhus
far shalt thou 60 and farther" There land water
air. and light finally The character of this atmos
phere question Of peculiar interest What gases
stuts it? 1t might have been poisonous to Ill life and
1t might have supported the vegetable and not the an
NAL. subject Of exceeding interest to the chemist
now arises What elements first entered into com oi
ton ard which of these first formed the crust OF the
esr,L? Avoiding techncaes let us limit discussion
scc and carbon acid gas Take the extremes OF
ical conditions ct the present temperature
bibt to you specimen OF siicic acid ia the form of
transparent crystal and sample of csrbonic acid in
gafs jar In st interview, by raising the tenn
ture We obtained this caroonc acid In the solid form
but II evident to all that this relationship will
determine which shall enter into chemical union
and which last. When the earth was a. temperature
much elevated than at prs ent siliec acid would
have been uid but must at percent fuse this SUBJ
starce TO enable to form various combinations
vioa le fer tie pi,nces of life We conclude that
scic cid the first and carbonc acid the last which
entered into combination. TIE lecturer quoted fro 4
Festus the fine apos phe to toe air. beginning with
--!tir and thou wind
Which art the sinihtude of God.
The lecturer proceeded TO exhibited number of In
erettpg experiments particularly the foratiop Of
boDc acd by the combustion Of carbon and pure oxyg
and appyi several well known chemical tests to Illus
rse IN presence. The gas also obtained from
abonate Of lime and its rab ty to support combustion
exhibited The gas then by the action
potassium at eleyated temperature and thus proving
b, any lcal process exact composition; bon be
irg lett the tube 1t fully shown that "a true
cobu ton is carried within bodies and that we
changing, not Only monthly aud daily but by the
hour ano the minute. Some leaves were placed in a
jai of waite that had been exposed TO the sunshine,
between plants and ANIMALS IA the primitive at
mosph.re surcharged with clrbonis acid gas,
AID that is destructive OF animal ho, the lecturer
argued that plsnts must have oeen first crea ed,
at least In Very low hi I'd of animal life. SIR
william HeFschel thought the faint remains of the light
Iece ptble in the After this, the sum-
aDe stars appeared This exactly in accordance with
nal life spIesIe1 rntil per ectsd These vegeta-
bes supported by Tue light that primarily Invested
The earth, and whsD Il saGici, pcy Of Oxygen
cher misty teaches that m1is isht tb exist rns
lecturer u ought That the s'diys" spoken OF ia the
sale fact porioa OF inis6nite leng h.
As well might expect that the cite Of Herc1ansam
am ropIsh vi all The # human hsb.tattop
and even the traces in ts streets OF passengers and yeh
cs created in day. the egrsh, with ths p
lis antq, origin which ss.l % furnishes. H. thought
that in This opinion he fully borne out By the IS
writings and quoted largely from Genesis 10 It's support
At Tho conlusicn Of he lecture Rev nr Dewitt
ward, AID we'd that The thanks Of the audience he
slowed ulun the able and interesting lecturer TIE
ton wsH adopted amid great applause.