Page:The Judgment Day.pdf/39

 water in solution, render such a state of things over the whole globe, not merely improbable, but absolutely impossible."

"If we suppose the mass of waters to have been such as would cover all the land of the globe, we present to ourselves an increase of the equatorial diameter by some eleven or twelve miles. Two new elements would hence accrue to the actions of gravity upon our planet. The absolute weight would be greatly increased, and the causes of the mutation of the axis would be varied. I am not competent to the calculation of the changes in the motions of the earth which would thus be produced, and which would propagate their effects through the whole solar system, and indeed, to the entire extent of the material creation; but they would certainly be very great. To save the physical system from derangements, probably ruinous to the wellbeing of innumerable sentient natures, would require a series of stupendous and immensely multiplied miracles.

"Again, pursuing the supposition, the ark would not remain stationary: it 'went upon the face of the waters.' Its form was adapted to secure slowness of motion, so that it should float as little a distance as possible from the place of human habitation. But, by the action of the sun upon the atmosphere, currents would be produced, by which the ark would be borne away, in a southerly and then a western direction. To bring it back into such a situation as would correspond to its grounding in Armenia, or any part of Asia, it must first circumnavigate the globe. But this was impossible in the time, even if it had possessed the rate of going of a good sailing vessel. It might, perhaps, advance as far as the middle of Europe, or the more westerly part; and there it would ground, at the end of the three hundred days."

* * * "Another difficulty arises with respect to the preservation of animals. Ingenious calculations