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Behold, I make All things new. Rev. xxi. 5.

London:

FRINTED FOR THE EDITOR, W. VIDLER,
BY W. BURTON, No. 82, FETTER LANE, HOLBORN,

AND SOLD BY

TEULON, 100, HOUNDSDITCH.

PARSONS, PATERNOSTER ROW, BELCHER, IN THE BULL-RING,

BIRMINGHAM, BLUNDELL, BATTLE, SUSSEX,

AND MAY BE HAD OF ALL THE BOOKSELLERS IN ENGLAND.

1799.

PREFACE.

the fun. As much as reason is decried, yet the most incohe rent enthufaift will attempt to fupport his dogmas with what reason he can command. To represent the value and utility of the facred Scriptures---the work of Chrift, and the character of God in him---to promote fcriptural tempers and conduct--and to inculcate univerfal good-will towards men, are our leading views. May the Father of lights continue to bless our attempts to his own glory.

We mean to improve our Miscellany in paper and type in the next year. Are thankful to our correfpondents for their favours---hope for the continuance of them---and are happy in announcing to our friends at large that the number of writers for our work is increasing.

LONDON, December 24, 1799.

THE

Univerfalist's Miscellany

For JANUARY, 1799.

I

NATURAL HISTORY.

(Continued from vol. ii. p. 365.)

T now remains that we explain the causes of Volcanoes, or, to speak more properly, that we mention the opinions of philofophers concerning them; for the real causes of them are perhaps ftill unknown, notwithstanding all that has been faid upon that fubject.

The most elaborate theory that has yet appeared is that of Mr. Houel (fee his Voyage Picturesque). According to him water is neceffary for the formation of all volcanoes. He obferves, that volcanoes, in general, are near the fea: that they are even extinguished when the fea retires from them; for we can still perceive the craters of volcanoes in feveral lofty inland mountains, which discover what they have been formerly. He fuppofes that a long series of ages was neceflary for the formation of a volcano, and that they were all formed under the furface of the fea: the firft explofion which laid open the foundations of the deep would poffibly be preceded by an earthquake the waters would be parted by a vaft globe of burning air, which would iffue forth with a tremendous noise, opening at the fame time a large and wide vent for the immense flame which was to follow; and which, as it iffued from the bottom of the fea, would be fpread over its furface by the first gufts of wind which followed. A fire which was to burn through thousands of years could not be faint or feeble when it was firft lighted up; its firft eruptions, therefore, would have undoubtedly been very violent, and the ejected matter very copious. For a long feries of ages it would continue to discharge VOL. III.

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torrents

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