AN EXAMINATION OF Dr. BURNET'S Theory of the Earth.

Chap. III.

THE Theorist frames his Antediluvian Earth, smooth, regular and uniform, without Mountains and without a Sea. The proof which he brings for this bold assertion, is, that the Globe of the Earth could not rise immediately from a Chaos into the irregular form, in which it is at present; the Chaos, says he, being a fluid Masse, which we know does necessarily fall into a spherical surface, whose parts are equidistant from the Centre, in an equal and even convexity one with another. And since upon the distinction of the Chaos, and separation into several elementary Masses, the Water would naturally have a superior place to the Earth, 'tis manifest there could be no habitable Earth form'd out of the Chaos unless by some concretion upon the face of the Water. Then lastly seeing this concrete Orb of Earth upon the face of the Water would be of the same form with the surface of the Wa