DURHAM AND NORTHUMBERLAND. 59

contradictory evidences which arise from thedifferent theories.

Burnet, who wrote about the year 1680,endeavoured to assimilate the formation ofsystems with the doctrines of Scripture ; and soshaped his arguments that no evidence mightmilitate against Creation being the work of agreat and omnipotent Being.

He supposed that the earth in its originalform was smooth, and devoid of the irregula-rities which now exist; that it was of a sphe-rical shape, and formed a solid incrustationover a fluid mass within. He then goes on toaccount for the irregularities which have sub-sequently existed, as arising from the generaldeluge, which, according to his theory, wasproduced by the heat of the sun penetratingthe surface and, expanding the waters withinthe incrustation, caused them to rush out in im-mense torrents and form our present oceans;that this revolution having produced partialvacuums, the outer shells fell in, and by thismeans our present mountains, hills, and val-leys, were made.

The theory of Descartes was very similar tothat of Burnet; but the probability appearsso very distant, and the imaginary evidencesupon which it is attempted to be substantiated