The Dynamical Theory of the Formation of the Earth - Archibald Tucker Ritchie - Google Books

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THE

41908

DYNAMICAL THEORY

OF THE

FORMATION OF THE EARTH.

BY

ARCHIBALD TUCKER RITCHIE.

=

"Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the
Word of God; so that things which are seen were not made of things
which do appear."

HEBREWS xi. 3.

VOL. I.

LONDON:

LONGMAN, BROWN, GREEN, AND LONGMANS,

PATERNOSTER ROWw.

MDCCCL.

GREENWICH: PRINTED BY W. H. CROCKFORD.

CONTENTS OF VOL. I.

Theorems Nos. 1 to 10 relating to Astronomy.

Nos. 11 and 12 to Geo-

graphy. Nos. 13 to 37 to Geology. Nos. 38 to 44 to Light. Nos.

45 to 50 to Light and Light and Heat. Nos. 51 to 55 to Physics.

Nos. 56 to 58 to the Atomic Theory, Radiation, and Evaporation.

Nos. 59 to 66 to Electricity and Magnetism. Nos. 67 to 82 to Me-

chanics and Dynamics. No. 83 to Friction. Nos. 84 to 88 and 94

to Meteorology. Nos. 89 to 93 and 95 to 97 to Fluids, Liquids, and

Evaporation. Nos. 98 to 104 to Earths and Soils. Nos. 105 to 108

to Ores, Metals, and Native Salts. Nos. 111 to 112 to Crystalliza-

tion. Nos. 113 to 124 to Botany. Nos. 125 to 127 to Fossil Botany.

No. 128 to Vegetable Decomposition. Nos. 129 to 137 to the

Animal Kingdom. Nos. 138 and 139 to Animal Respiration and

Preliminary Observations. Subject of Argument in the present Section.

Early Conception of a Principle of Limitation involved in the Mosaic

Record. "The Moving Thing that hath Life." Definition of the

Living Principle. Faint Line of Separation between Vegetable and

Animal Vitality. Difference determined; and also that between

Vertebrate and Invertebrate Animals. The former accurately de-

fined and described for the purpose of being eliminated from the

argument. The same method adopted with respect to certain Mol-

lusca, Articulata, and Radiata. Apulmonic Tribes of animals defined

generally. Described particularly and very fully, and confirmed by

general testimony. Enquiry into the supposed Nature and Habits

of the Extinct Races of Inferior Animals. Evidences of the Extinction

of their Races, and of the successive Creation of others. The De-

sign and Object of their Temporary Existence briefly alluded to,

with a view to resume, and dwell, in the sequel, upon both of these

Review of the progress made in the previous Chapter. Followed up by

exhibiting the description of Fossil Animal Remains which have

been discovered in the older formations. Consolidated Lists of their

Exuviæ from the Chalk downwards. General Notices respecting

the same. The whole compared with the Animal Remains which,

by dependance on Scripture, might have been expected to have been

disembedded from the older Strata, and found substantially, and

with few exceptions, to correspond. Some Explanations respecting

the points of disagreement. Remains of Vertebrate Animals disco-

vered in localities supposed to belong to the Formations of the Anti-

rotatory Period

Adaptation of the Apulmonic Invertebrate Animals to the state of the

creation previous to the Earth's rotation around its axis. Origin of

Calcareous Rocks, and the influential part which the primitive Ani-

mal Organisms performed in producing them. Increase of these

rocks in an ascending series. Evidences for their existence deduced

from geological writers. And a summary of the subjects treated of

in this section, with an application of the whole to the progressive

development of the Dynamical Theory

The subject of argument of this Section stated. The Vegetation of the

Non-rotatory period neither flowering nor of seed-bearing plants.

Striking analogy in this respect to the apulmonic creatures which

were the subject of the previous Section, pointing to a common

cause; and, therefore, requiring to be treated in a similar manner.

The Dicotyledonous class of plants fully described. The Monocoty-

ledonous also minutely characterised, and both of these great divisions

eliminated from the argument as having been formed during the

Mosaic week. These, however, not comprising the entire Vegetable

Kingdom, leave the Acotyledons as a residue, which are considered

to have been willed into existence during the period of non-rotation.

This latter class closely delineated, and their functions particularized 185

Summary application of what has been established in the foregoing Chap-

DICOTYLEDONS comprehend all plants "bearing fruit whose

seed is in itself upon the earth." MONOCOTYLEDONS embrace "the

herbs yielding seed." But the Vegetable Kingdom being examined

into, a third description of plants is discovered, bearing neither

flowers, fruits, nor seeds, called ACOTYLEDONS, and these are sup-

posed to have been created during the non-rotatory period. Lists

of Fossil Plants, given in corroboration, from the chalk formation

downwards, and from two distinct sources-from Geological writers,

and from the works of Fossil Botanists. General observations con-

firmatory of these lists. Brief explanations respecting vestiges of

flowering plants occasionally included in the foregoing lists. Review

of the progress made thus far. Adaptation of the imperfect, flower-

less plants to the state of the creation during the anti-rotatory period;

and their capability of having grown and propagated in a submerged

condition confirmed, by contrast with the incapability of flowering

plants to have existed without either light, atmosphere, or dry land 216

The assumed condition of the primitive vegetation compared with Botani-

cal descriptions of Cryptogamous plants. Characters and habitats of

these given in detail, and found to coincide with the supposed state

of the submerged vegetation of the anti-rotatory period. Motives

for supposing that there was only one general elevation of the ter-

raine portion of the earth. The absence, in lists of fossil flora, of

certain orders of Acotyledonous plants accounted for. Capability of

plants growing in the waters of the primeval ocean, although this

held in solution saline materials

Another brief review of the progress made, and its application to the de-

velopment of the general argument. Adaptation of the Plants of the

non-rotatory period to the state of creation during that epoch.

Fronds and folliacious appendages of Cryptogames described-con-

trasted with the respiratory expansions of Phanogames; and the de-

sign of the former being demonstrated, they are shown to be in

harmony with the effects which the flowerless plants were intended

to produce, namely, absorption from the surrounding water, reten-

tion of carbonic acid, and deposition, by their roots, to assist in

forming the carboniferous strata. Short concluding observation:

the continuity with which the subject has been traced to the present

convergent point

The subject of argument of the present Section succinctly stated. Depo-

sition of the stratified masses. Proof that the materials which com-

pose the strata existed in the primeval ocean. The Earth accurately

weighed before the deposition commenced, and after it ceased, and

found, in either case, to be the same. In continuation, several

sources of doubt respecting the origin of the strata removed, and

clearly shown that underneath the stratified masses of the Earth's

crust there is an impervious base of amorphous crystalline rock.

Order of superposition laid down, in accordance with the classifica-

tion of M. de la. Beche. Table given, and corroborated by general

extracts. Wherever the surface of the Earth has been geologically

examined it is found to have been, at one time, submerged in the

waters of the ocean. And, in conclusion of this Chapter, that all

stratified rocks afford evidence of having been deposited from water

Further inferences respecting the existence of the elements of the strata

in the primitive ocean; and of the crystalline base on which they

universally repose. Attendant circumstance of the Earth in perfect

accordance with the work of deposition then going on. Character

and component elements of the lower stratified, or non-fossiliferous

rocks, given with the design of showing that their elements existed

in the primitive menstruum. Endeavours to describe the process by

which these elements were abstracted from the water with which

they were thus combined. The immediate influence of the luni-solar

current exemplified by the theory of the tides. Geological con-

struction of the non-fosiliferous rocks-confusedly crystalline. Their

specific gravity given, and the influence of attraction in their forma-

tion. Aqueous crystallization, and the predominating influence

which it exercised at this early stage of the creation. Capacity of

water for becoming chemically impregnated with mineral elements

shown and corroborated by the waters of Carlsbad and other mineral

springs. Chemical affinity; its universality and influence. Brief

summary in conclusion of this, as a preparation for succeeding

Position assumed, that the primeval water was chemically saturated with

the mineral elements of the strata; and could, therefore, according

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