GENERAL VIEW

OF THE

GEOLOGY OF SCRIPTURE,

&c. &c.

Taling, Printer, Chelsea.

CONTENTS.

Page.

INTRODUCTORY CHAPTER

CHAPTER I.

Our Ideas of the real extent of Objects on the Earth's Surface

often erroneous.-True height of Mountains.-Depths of the

Ocean.-Of Mines.-Of Volcanic Foci.-Eruptions of Mud

containing Fish.-Volcanoes only in Secondary Formations.—

True Scale on which to view the Earth.-Form of the Earth.-

Newton's Demonstrations.-Gravity and Centrifugal Force.-

False Inferences drawn from Newton's Hypothesis.—True Pri-

mitive Creations.-Density of the Earth.-Reflections arising

from the Subject.-The Days of Creation.

CHAPTER II.

The Second Day of the Creation.-The Firmament, or Atmosphere.

-Atmospheric Phenomena.-Magnetism, and Electricity.

CHAPTER III.

35

....

62

The gathering together of the Waters.-The Sublimity of this Fiat

of the Creator not sufficiently understood.-The Transition

Rocks.

70

CHAPTER IV.

Constant Changes in Nature.-Origin of Secondary Formations.

- Primitive Soils, for the Nourishment of a Primitive Vegeta-

tion.-Constant Circulation in the Fluids of the Earth.-Springs,

Brooks, and Rivers. - The Tides.-Their Cause explained.-

The Currents of the Ocean, and their present existing System.

-Effects naturally arising from these powerful Causes.

......

81

CHAPTER V.

General Nature of the Formations on the Earth.-Origin and

Progress of Secondary Formations.-Causes of Stratification

in Secondary Rocks.-Such Deposits become gradually Mine-

ralized.-Calcareous Formations.-Salt Deposits.-Proof of

Granite not being an Aqueous Deposit.-Secondary Formations

now in Progress in the Bed of the Ocean.

CHAPTER VI.

The Deluge.-Traditional Evidence of that Event.-Erroneous

Ideas commonly entertained respecting it.-Distinctness of

Scripture on the Subject.-Evidence from Scripture.-Evi-

dence from the Ancient, though Apocryphal, Book of Enoch.-

Theories of Philosophy on the Subject.-The most probable

Cause of that destructive Event.

CHAPTER VII.

Mosaic Account of the Deluge.-The Mountains of Ararat.—

Origin of that remarkable Name.--Effects during the Deluge.

-Action of the Tides, and the Currents, during the Deluge.-

Their Effects upon Organic Bodies. - Diluvial Strata. - Abate-

ment of the Waters.-Renewal of the Face of the Earth.

CHAPTER VIII.

Page.

103

127

....

147

General View of the existing Surface. -Force of the Waves.—

Principles of Stratification.-Cavous Lime-stone.-Gibraltar.-

The Plains of the Earth; of South America; of Africa; of

Asia; of Europe.-Result of this View.-Chalk Basins.-That

of Paris, a guide to all similar Basins.-Salt Deposits.-Coal

Formations.-Evidences of Coal being a Marine, and not a

Lacustrine Formation.

167

CHAPTER IX.

Organic Remains.-Evidences derived from them.-Erroneous

Theories of continuous Stratification.-Diluvial Fossil Remains.

– Diluvial Origin of Coal.—Unfounded Theories on this Subject.

-The Belgian Coal Fields.-Tropical Productions in Polar

Regions.-Buffon's Theory.-High importance of the Evidence

of Fossils.-Natural and unavoidable Mode of Transport.-In-

stances in proof.-Buoyant nature of Bodies after Death.-

Rate at which they might have been Transported.—The thick-

skinned Animals floated longest.

CHAPTER X.

High importance of the Evidence of Fossils. -Siberian Mammoth.

—The entire Elephant of the Lena.-Theories founded on this

Specimen, unsupported by Facts.-Consistent Mode of account-

ing for Tropical Productions in cold Climates.-Unchanged

Condition of the Climates of the Earth.-Italian Deposits.-

Monte Bolca.-Fossils on the Coast of Norfolk.-Formations

of the South of England.-The same View extended to the

Continent.

CHAPTER XI.

The Cave of Kirkdale.-Dr. Buckland's Theory founded on its

Fossil Remains. Contradictory nature of this Theory.-Fossil

Bones from the Hymalaya Glaciers; and from the Heights of

South America.-Natural Mode of accounting for them.-The

Habits of the Elephant.-His most perfect Form.-His love of

the Water, and of a Swampy and Woody Country.-Habits of

the Rhinoceros.-Cuvier's Opinion of Fossil Remains.—Incon-

sistency of this Opinion.—Evidence of Astronomy.—Evidence

from Fossil Trees.-Conclusive nature of this Evidence.—Evi-

dence derived from Peat Moss.-Foot-marks of Antediluvian

Animals. Scratches occasioned by the Diluvial Action.-For-

mation of Valleys.—Scripture alone capable of explaining these

Evidences.

CHAPTER XII.

Elephants clothed with Hair and Wool.-Existing Instances of

this Variety, even within the Tropics. - Probable identity be-

tween the Mammoth and the Asiatic Elephant.—Cuvier's

Theory on this Subject, inconsistent with Facts.-More natural

Conclusions.-Erroneous Theories respecting Fossils.-The

Mastodon not confined to the Continents of America, as com-

monly supposed.-Instance of the Great Mastodon in England.

Form of the Tusks of the Mastodon.-Erroneous Ideas on this

Subject.

Page.

218

260

290

349