on of that system in
which the necessary resolution of this earth, while at present it serves
the purpose of vegetation, or the fertility of our soil, is the very
means employed in furnishing the materials of future land.

It is such a view as this that I have endeavoured to represent in the
theory which I have given. I have there stated the present situation of
things, by which we are led to perceive a former state; and, from that
necessary progress of actual things, I have concluded a certain system
according to which things will be changed, without any accident or
error. It is by tracing this regular system in nature that a philosopher
is to perceive the wisdom with which this world has been contrived; but,
he must see that wisdom founded upon the aptitude of all the parts to
fulfil the intention of the design; and that intention is to be deduced
from the end which is known to be attained. Thus we are first to reason
from effect to cause, in seeing the order of that which has already
happened; and then, from those known causes, to reason forwards, so as
to conceive that which is to come to pass in time. Such would be the
philosophy of this earth, formed by the highest generalisation
of phenomena, a generalisation which had required the particular
investigation of inductive reasoning.

That no such theory as this, founded upon water as an agent operating in
the changes of this earth, has yet appeared, will, I believe be easily
allowed. With regard again to fire as an agent in the mineral operations
of this earth, geologists have formed no consistent theory. They see
volcanoes in all the quarters of the globe, and from those burning
mountains, they conjecture other mountains have been formed. But a
burning mountain is only a matter of fact; and, they have not on this
formed any general principle, for establishing what may be called a
theory of the earth. Those who have considered subterraneous fires as
producing certain effects, neither know how these have been procured,
nor do they see the proper purpose for which they are employed in the
system of this world. In this case, the agent fire is only seen as
a destructive element, in like manner as deluges of water have been
attributed by others to changes which have happened in the natural state
of things. These operations are seen only as the accidents of nature,
and not as part of that design by which the earth, which is necessarily
wasted in the operations of the wor