sacred records; it remains with the defenders of those records to say, whether the purloined weapons shall be returned to the armory where they properly belong, and from which they may be again at any time drawn forth, for efficient use. Theologians who were trained before geology was understood, and before it was possible to acquire, in our seminaries, an adequate knowledge of its elementary truths, are not included in these remarks, and we are happy to observe the increasing attention which is paid to the subject by most of the students in theology who come within our personal view. These suggestions have been hazarded, with the sincere and earnest hope of doing good, especially to those who greatly neglect a subject of high interest, which it must concern them to know. But it will be no new case, should a mediator between hostile armies fail to conciliate either party, and only provoke the artillery of both; nor would it create either surprise or displeasure, should the writer of these remarks be regarded as being too geological for the theologians, as he is certainly too theological for some of the geologists. Among the latter are, however, not a few who regard moral truth with quite as high interest as physical, and who are anxious to prove, that where others discover only discord, there is a principle of harmony, which a skilful hand may draw forth, in tones delightful to every discriminating ear. REMARK. Supposing that there are inhabitants at the poles of the earth, how might they understand the days of the creation? to them a day of light is six months long, and a night of darkness is six months long, and the day, made up of night and day, covers a year, and it is a day too, limited by morning and evening. Such persons, therefore, must suppose, upon the popular understanding of the days of the creation, that at least six years were employed on the work. So at the polar circles, there is, every year, one day, that is one continued vision of the sun for 24 hours, and one continued night of 24 hours; while, every where within the polar circles, the days and the nights respectively are for six months, more than 24 hours, extending even as we advance towards the poles, through the time of many of our days and nights. How are these people to understand the week of the creation, if limited to the popu lar view entertained in countries between the polar circles? learned them in the most effectual way, not only in the cabinet, but abroad on the face of nature, and in her deep recesses. They will then be convinced that geology is not an enemy, but an ally of revealed religion; that the subject is not to be mastered by mere criticism; that criticism must be applied to facts, as well as to words, and that there is, at most, only an apparent incongruity-an incongruity which vanishes before investigation. The mode in which the subject is now treated, or neglected, by many theologians and critics, (not by all, for there are honorable exceptions,) is not safe, as regards its bearing on the minds of youth. If they go forth into the world in the stiffness of the letter, and without the knowledge or proper application of the facts, it is impossible that they should sustain themselves against those who, with great knowledge, and no reverence, may too powerfully assail what they cannot defend. In the pulpit, however, geology can be but very imperfectly explained, even by him who understands it; for it is impossible that he should there, intelligibly and adequately exhibit his proofs; they rest on a multitude of facts unknown to a common audience; and they are too dependent on specimens, sections and other graphical illustrations, to be understood in such circumstances, especially by those who have enjoyed no mental preparation in kindred sciences, and in courses of inductive reasoning. As the subject has no other connexion with our faith as Christians, than so far as it affects the credibility of the early scripture history, it is therefore wise, as to the literal sense of the days, not to disturb the early and habitual impressions of the common people, or even of the enlightened, who are ignorant of geology. Any discussions before such audiences, and in such circumstances, will be misunderstood, or not understood at all, and will only prejudice the reputation of the speaker, without benefitting the hearer. This, however, does not excuse the theologian from being fully prepared to meet the subject, in other places, and in situations, where it will be forced upon his attention. It is a part of the panoply of truth, in which he should be fully clad, although he may rarely draw his bow, and perhaps never let fly an arrow from his appropriate watch tower. As the case now stands, with respect to most theologians in this country, the geological arguments in support of the Mosaic history, although powerful and convincing, are unknown and neglected, or they are avoided; and of course they can be, and they actually are, by some few geologists, turned, with too much success, against the sacred records; it remains with the defenders of those records to say, whether the purloined weapons shall be returned to the armory where they properly belong, and from which they may be again at any time drawn forth, for efficient use. Theologians who were trained before geology was understood, and before it was possible to acquire, in our seminaries, an adequate knowledge of its elementary truths, are not included in these remarks, and we are happy to observe the increasing attention which is paid to the subject by most of the students in theology who come within our personal view. These suggestions have been hazarded, with the sincere and earnest hope of doing good, especially to those who greatly neglect a subject of high interest, which it must concern them to know. But it will be no new case, should a mediator between hostile armies fail to conciliate either party, and only provoke the artillery of both; nor would it create either surprise or displeasure, should the writer of these remarks be regarded as being too geological for the theologians, as he is certainly too theological for some of the geologists. Among the latter are, however, not a few who regard moral truth with quite as high interest as physical, and who are anxious to prove, that where others discover only discord, there is a principle of harmony, which a skilful hand may draw forth, in tones delightful to every discriminating ear. REMARK. Supposing that there are inhabitants at the poles of the earth, how might they understand the days of the creation? to them a day of light is six months long, and a night of darkness is six months long, and the day, made up of night and day, covers a year, and it is a day too, limited by morning and evening. Such persons, therefore, must suppose, upon the popular understanding of the days of the creation, that at least six years were employed on the work. So at the polar circles, there is, every year, one day, that is one continued vision of the sun for 24 hours, and one continued night of 24 hours; while, every where within the polar circles, the days and the nights respectively are for six months, more than 24 hours, extending even as we advance towards the poles, through the time of many of our days and nights. How are these people to understand the week of the creation, if limited to the popuJar view entertained in countries between the polar circles? INDEX. Ages, relative, of rocks and strata, 47, coal mine, bones of large mam- Alumine, or pure clay, one of the rarest America, North, great western coal field, lakes, a table of, 217. Ancient condition of England, Mr. Animal kingdom, division of by Cuvier Anoplotherium, an extraordinary quad- Anticlinal line, what, 43. 116. Asia Minor, tremendous earthquakes Auvergne, geology of, 296; basalt of, 143. Ava, fossil bones from, 334. D'Avilla, M., his interesting work on B. Bagshot Heath sand beds rest on Lon- Bakewell, Mr. Robert, of Dishley, his Basalt, one of the family of trap rocks VI.) often intermixed with mica slate | Dudley fossil. See Trilobite. Durham and Northumberland coal Cumea, ancient city of, founded, 1200 Curved strata, where the strata encircle D. Daubeny, Dr., Chemical Professor at Density of the earth, 3; of Saturn, and Desnoyers, M., his observations on the Diallage, or schiller-spar, crystallized Diluvian agency, its effects in denuda- Diluvium, or diluvial beds, 313; fossil Dolomite, a magnesian limestone, 77; Druses, or hollows in metallic veins, Dudley, transition limestone of, 88; ba- Dyke, signifies a wall, 105; basaltic 134. E. Earth, form and density of, Chap. I. 3; Earthy, composed of minute parts, re- 31. Elephant, fossil, in ice, discovered in Si- of mountain ranges and con- of large continents distinct · of mountains and strata, 52; |