ORIGIN OF THE NOTION OF A CHAOS.

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Ahriman (Oromasdes, and Arimanius,) the uncreated principles of good and evil, of light and darkness. Had these two contending powers been equal, as they were diametrically opposite in every aim and effort, then reciprocal counteraction must have resulted, the equilibrium of Death. Thus nothing could be, for nothing would have been suffered to exist. It is marvellous how Doctors of Divinity dared to introduce the heathen and atheistical absurdity of a Chaos into their commentaries on the Mosaic record of Creation. With regard to the antiquity of our earth, nothing can be known except what the Eternal Spirit has deigned to reveal. Itaque salutare admodum est, si mente sobria, fidei tantum dentur, que fidei sunt.-BACON.

The date of its creation, according to the Chronology of the Hebrew Bible, was 4004 years before the Birth of our Saviour. Astronomy shows that the great axis, or longest diameter of the elliptic orbit, in which our earth revolves round the Sun, as placed in one of the foci, coincided at that epoch with the line of the equinoxes. Hence, then at the instant of the autumnal equinox, the sun was nearest the earth, or in perigee, and of the vernal equinox, he was in apogee; and therefore his elliptic orbit and time of revolution were each evenly divided between the seasons. From spring to autumn, as many days and hours elapsed, as from autumn to spring, for either hemisphere of our globe. Ever since that date, the summer division of the year has been growing longer, and the winter division shorter, for all latitudes north of the equator; the difference

of length amounting in the present century to more than seven days. From the equinox of spring, to the solstice of summer, 92 days, 21 hours and a half, intervene; from the summer solstice to the equinox of autumn, 93 days, 13 hours and a half; from this equinox, to the solstice of winter, 89 days, 16 hours and three quarters; and from this instant, to the vernal equinox, 89 days, 1 hour and 40 minutes. The summer section of the orbit contains, therefore, 186 days, and 11 hours, while the winter section contains only 178 days and 18 hours, the difference being no less than 7 days and 17 hours,-a difference to which, in some measure, the superior temperature of the northern terrestrial hemisphere may be ascribed.

Such was the position in which the earth was launched into space, such the attitude in which it commenced its circling career. I have no doubt, that by many it will be deemed the conception of a narrow mind, to limit the origin of our earth to so modern an epoch. But if it was formed for the dwelling place of Man, what use is there for imagining a more distant beginning? Why build a mansion in the wilderness of space, long ere tenants are prepared to occupy it? Nor are we warranted in ascribing an earlier date to the celestial orbs; for the heavens and the earth were the offspring of one creative mandate. And what advantage do Philosophers hope to gain, by going back a million of ages? Even then they are at an era equally recent, compared with Him who is from everlasting to everlasting, for with the eternity of HIS BEING, all revolv

THOUGHTS ON ANTERIOR EXISTENCE.

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ing time is incommensurable. Though the exist ence of spiritual intelligences prior to the formation of Man, seems to be suggested in Scripture, yet of material pre-existence, no indication is given. It appears, therefore, that neither Reason nor Revelation will justify us in extending the origin of the material system, beyond 6000 years from our own days. The world then received its substance, form, and motions, from the volition of the Omnipo

tent.

Assuredly, no rational creature can carry its thoughts, without a profound sentiment of dismay and self-annihilation, into that infinity of time and space, which was occupied by Deity alone. Can Philosophy tranquillize the soul, in doubt, whether this appalling solitude shall not return? No indeed. But the Faith of Jesus Christ, founded on his Resurrection, gives his followers the assurance, that the future infinity will be of a different character from the past; for in it, the self-existing Jehovah, will live in fellowship with the spirits of just men made perfect.

That divine Revelation was not imparted to Man, for the purpose of instructing him in the recondite principles of Physics, is a proposition fully laid down in the Introduction. Yet there may be certain primary facts, beyond the horizon of science, shadowed out by prophecy, as limits to speculative temerity, and resting points to the pious spirit. Without such supplemental illumination, Man can know nothing of the cause, and manner, of himself, and his companion beings, coming into existence. Igno

rant of these transcendent truths, the ancient Philosophers plunged themselves and their scholars into an ocean of doubt, and error. Notwithstanding the many beacons of their shipwrecks which shine in history, modern philosophers still disdain to consult the unerring oracles of God, on questions to which they alone can give a true response. In such matters, Science can hold no haughty pretensions, but must sit down a humble disciple, to learn the rudiments of all knowledge. Once imbued with these fundamental axioms, she may then safely advance in the kindred paths of observation and experiment; of calculation and induction. So far do the Sacred Scriptures bear on Physical research; and no farther. The Philosopher is thenceforward left to exercise his judgment on every object or event, level to his rational faculties. The paths of Religion and Science are subsequently distinct, though never opposite, each conducive, when rightly pursued, to the dignity and happiness of human nature. It is equally to be regretted, that this separation of the subjects has not been more carefully observed by the expositors of Revelation and that the parallelism of aim in the study of Nature and its Author, has been too often disregarded by the Philosopher.

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CHAP. II.-OF LIGHT.

SINCE the fluid condition of bodies is known to proceed from the vibratory actions of heat, counteracting more or less the cohesion of the attractive

LIGHT AND HEAT RELATED.

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poles of the particles of matter, we have humbly proposed to recognise, in the expression, "the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters," the commencement of the quickening energy, from which our globe derives all its mobile and vital capacities. Between heat and light, so intimate a relationship subsists, that they must be conceived as two modifications of the same fundamental agency. Thus, if any substance, even a stone, water, or air, be heated to a sufficient degree, it becomes lumi

nous.

The light evolved so copiously from the bodies of dead fish, is extinguished at a freezing temperature; but shines forth again whenever they are thawed.

And on the other hand, the solar light is always accompanied with a calorific influence. This relationship appears in the narrative of Creation, for consentaneously with the movement of the Spirit upon the face of the waters, God said, Let there be Light, and there was Light.

The phenomena of light have generally been ascribed to the impulsion of certain material particles, supposed to be emitted in rapid succession, by luminous bodies constituting a nearly continuous chain, called a ray of light. So seriously has the reality of this notion been entertained, that some theorists have undertaken to determine the size, distance, velocity, and momentum of these particles, if not with absolute precision, at least within certain limits of the truth. Priestley relates some experiments of Mr. Mitchell's, made by throwing the focus of a concave mirror on the extremity of a very

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