Introd. Theory of the "Earth, f

for judging of the past, as well as of thefuture. Such are the operations of the funand atmosphere, of the wind and water, ofthe rivers and the tides.

It is the joint operation and result of thosethree different causes that are to be perceivedin the general appearances of this earth, andnot the effects of any one alone; although,in particular places of the earth, the operationpeculiar to each of these may be considered byitself, in abstracting those of the others, moreor less. Thus there are several views inwhich the subject is to be examined, in orderto find facts with which the result of thetheory may be compared, and by which con-firmation may be procured to our reasoning,as well as explanation of the phenomena inquestion.