The scriptural history of the earth and of mankind, compared with the cosmogonies, chronologies, and original traditions of ancient nations; an abstract and review of several modern systems; with an attempt to explain philosophically, the Mosaical account of the creation and deluge and to deduce from this last event the causes of the actual structure of the earth, in a series of letters / With notes and illustrations. By Philip Howard.

  • Howard, Philip, -1810
Date:
1797
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: The scriptural history of the earth and of mankind, compared with the cosmogonies, chronologies, and original traditions of ancient nations; an abstract and review of several modern systems; with an attempt to explain philosophically, the Mosaical account of the creation and deluge and to deduce from this last event the causes of the actual structure of the earth, in a series of letters / With notes and illustrations. By Philip Howard. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    548/624 (page 534)
    5 Jt waters of the abyfs, hitherto confined under it, would with violence fpout out from all Its crevices. Hence all the waters below the earth, as well as thofe contained in the former feas and thofe in the at« mofphere, would re-unite to cover the dry land. The globe itfelf would probably be drawn from its ufual track; and, had not the paf- fage of the comet been inconceivably rapid, its attraillon might have entirely diffipated It, or carried off its fragments in its train. The in- ftantaneous effeft of the tranfitory near approach of fuch a body would be fufficient to diflocate the exterior frame of this little planet, and by its confequences drown the whole under water. The force of fteam and of dilated air we know to be immenfe 5 and the dilatation caufed by thefe great motions, and by the conflidl of fire, water, and air In the bowels and great interior caverns of the earth, much more capa- cious in the former globe than in the prefent, would for a certain time yet uphold the ftrudure of its exterior fabric : but as frequent explofions gave paflage to this ftrongly dilated air, and as the con- l]i£t of the contending elements began to fubfide, the vaults which had hitherto fupported the exterior frame of the antient globe gave more or lefs way, and left deep yawning chafms. Wherever thefe abylTes opened, vaft portions of the adjoining lands with all their rocks and varied ftrata funk into them on one fide, whilft, violently torn by the fhock from their contiguous parts, they were uplifted into the air on the oppofite fide far above their antient level. Thefe, however, by their flanting fall left fuch fubterraneous caverns as ftill fubfift, into which the w^aters began to run, to uncover by degrees I the