the Mosaic week; because the result of this last was also to communicate motion in a direction tangentially to the molecular attraction passing through the earth's centre, and to overcome the inertia of its recumbent matter. It was not, however, merely to reach this conclusion, notwithstanding its importance, that we thought proper, at present, to point the attention to these facts. We more particularly desire that the mind should be directed to the circumstance itself, of the just equipoise of the two divellent forces, and to the knowledge, that to this we are indebted for the steadiness and certainty with which the earth performs its annual revolution around the sun; consequently, that any increase or decrease of either of those counterbalancing forces would be destructive of that security; would, in reality, disturb the whole economy of the solar system.

Now it is, when this conviction is strongly impressed upon the mind, that we recognise, most clearly, the importance of the conclusion we previously came to, namely-that there was a protracted period during which the earth did not rotate around its axis; but that it had diurnal motion impressed upon it, in common with the other spheres of the system, at a comparatively recent period: and that thereby such a centrifugal impetus was communicated to the earth as to raise its continental ridges and mountain chains, to depress the oceanic hollows, and to occasion the previously circumfluent waters, in rushing from the poles, to retire within these receptacles: because, as it has already been observed, if neither of the forces which restrained the earth in its orbital path could, without suffering disturbance, admit of either increase or of decrease, then we are constrained to conclude, that the force which caused the orbital revolving earth to rotate diurnally, could not have impinged upon it, equipoised as it was, either in the direction of gravity, or in that of its divellent counterbalancing force; and if it could not have impinged upon it in either of these two directions, neither could it have done so in any intermediate one; because this, too, would have tended, as far as it went, to have augmented one of the equipoising powers, to the certain overthrow of the other.

We are thus wholly excluded from assuming, that the force

which caused the earth to revolve around its axis impinged upon it in the direction of the centripetal or centrifugal influences, or in that of any intermediate point between the two; although these, nevertheless, constitute the directions in which all forces act which proceed in straight lines, and produce effects directly either to or from their own centres; or which could have affected the earth in any line perpendicular to its axis.

SECTION IX.

CONCENTRATION OF THE LIGHT AROUND THE SUN; AND THE COMPLETION OF THE WORK OF CREATION.

CHAPTER XXXVIII.

Preparatory observations. Unique nature of the force which occasioned the protorotation of the earth, and other spheres of our system. Supposed to be identical with electro-magnetism. This description of force defined, and described more minutely from scientific sources. Also the movement of rotation which frequently accompanies the exhibition of this kind of electricity. Confirmatory evidence deducible from the single motion, or non-diurnal rotation of the moon. This satellite fully described according to the latest telescopic discoveries. Concluding inferences.

THE Conclusions which we came to at the close of the preceding chapter are very important, and are likely to exercise considerable influence over our future arguments. Convinced of this, as well as of the certainty of the non-rotating sphere having been caused, by a commensurate influence, to revolve around its axis, we are shut up to the alternative of supposing, that this effect was produced by a force which acted in a manner distinct from any we have yet had occasion to contemplate; one, for instance, which, while it proceeded in a direction parallel to the earth's axis, was capable of sending forth its resultant effects at right angles thereto; and, fortunately for our hypothesis, and the fate of this theory, there has been discovered, lately, a force which causes rotation in planes perpendicular to the line of its direction; and which, therefore, completely corresponds with the description of force of which we are in quest.

This unique impelling power belongs to a class of pheno

mena hitherto only casually noticed, but to which we must now direct the attention, and endeavour to make it known to our readers, as far as the present state of information regarding it will permit; while we take occasion, even at the commencement, to engage their favour and consideration by observing, that this lately discovered force possesses peculiar interest, when considered with relation to our own cosmographical views; for, besides the important circumstance of its producing motion in a direction at right angles to the line of its own progress, it emanates from the subtile fluid, electro-magnetism; an influence which, in turn, is considered to be of a kin to light and heat*-the element, whose introduction into the material universe we consider to have been the immediate secondary cause of the rotation of the earth, and the other spheres around their respective axes; thus presenting to the contemplative mind a most convincing testimony of the power of that Omnipotent Being, who, after having wielded this potent influence by his word, and having caused it, in the condition it then was, to produce the stupendous and fundamental works of the first three days, could, afterwards, by a mere command, concentrate what remained of the subtile element around the sun, to impart light and warmth, and life-fostering influences, for ever thereafter, to the myriads of his created beings! This is a theme worthy to be contemplated, and sure to elevate the soul to juster and more comprehensive conceptions of the all-wise Creator, who made every thing in perfect goodness, and by his wondrous power. But we must return to the line of proof which we are at present pursuing.

The sixty-third Theorem states, "That ELECTRO-MAGNETISM (electricity modified by the physical influences peculiar to certain substances), by overcoming retardation arising from friction, and the obstacle of a resisting medium, maintains perpetual motion. That the force emanating thus mutually from the electric current and the magnetic needle, acts at right angles to the electric current. 'Such circumferential action, arising from the tangential direction of two opposite forces,'

* "The discoveries of Oersted, Seebeck, and Faraday show an intimate connexion between these unseen fluids."-Dr. Thomson, p. 278.

being unlike any other power hitherto discovered; for, all other known forces emanating from a point, and acting upon any other, impel in the direction of a line joining these two points."

The following are some of the philosophical conclusions on which the foregoing theorem is founded; they place this interesting subject in distinct points of view, and may, therefore, tend more fully to illustrate the peculiar character of the force in question, on which account we beg the attention of our readers to them.

Mrs. Somerville observes

"The disturbing effects of the aurora borealis and lightning on the mariner's compass had long been known. In the year 1819, M. Oersted discovered that a current of voltaic electricity exerts a powerful influence on a magnetized needle. This observation has given rise to the theory of electro-magnetism—the most interesting science of modern times, whether it be considered as leading us a step further in generalization, by identifying two agencies hitherto referred to different causes, or as developing a new force, unparalleled in the system of the world; which, overcoming retardation from friction, and the obstacles of a resisting medium, maintains a perpetual motion, often vainly attempted, but apparently impossible to be accomplished by means of any other force, or combination of forces, than the one in question.

"All experiments made in this branch of science tend to prove that the force emanating from the electric current, which produces such effects on the magnetic needle, acts at right angles to the current, and is, therefore, unlike any force hitherto known; the action of all the forces in nature being directed in straight lines, as far as we know; for the curves described by the heavenly bodies result from the composition of two direct forces, whereas that which is exerted by an electrical current upon either pole of a magnet has no tendency to cause the pole to approach or to recede, but to rotate about it. If the stream of electricity be supposed to pass through the centre of a circle whose plane is perpendicular to the current, the direction of the force exerted by the electricity will always be in the tangent to the circle, or at right angles to its radius ;* conse

In a note Mrs. Somerville adds: "when a stream of positive electricity descends from p to n in a vertical wire, at right angles to the plane of a horizontal circle, the negative electricity ascends from n to p, and the force exerted