tillum, which consequently renders the flower abortive, and then if not shaken out by the wind, or otherwise removed, it goes on to feed upon the ungues of the petals, and a part of the calyx; the remaining part of the petals wither, but do not always drop off immediately, being held by a web which this or some other insect weaves. If many blossoms are thus affected, the whole tree has the appearance of being scorched, which has led many to suppose that this had actually been the case, from a hot sun having suddenly come upon it after rain. When the ungues of the petal have not been destroyed, they expand, and afterwards wither slowly, but are never dis charged so quickly, or so entire, as when the process of fructification has been undisturbed; making that beautiful white shower, which is the almost certain sign of an approaching crop.

I have not bad opportunity to trace the farther progress of this destructive little animal, but I think I have observed it, after dropping from the apple blos som, feeding upon the currant and gooseberry leaves. Of its origin, I am led to conjecture that it is the larva of some winged insect, which deposits its egg in the blossom bud late in the autumn, or very early in the spring; most probably in the autumn.

This is the only insect I have observed attacking the blossom itself. Some apples seem to be more obnoxious to it than others, particularly the weak and worn-out kinds.

Perhaps from the introduction of this insect we may date the long course of failures which apple growers have experienced, such a thing as a general crop not having been known for many years.

The stratagem used by Linnæus in the destruction of the Cantharis Navalis, I fear, will not lead to a remedy in this case, unless we could introduce a breed of birds whose business it would be to pick out all the maggots; or could imprecate a frost to kill all the flies before the period of ovation.

Pulborough, May 4, 1813.

To the Editor of the Monthly Magazine.

permit a humble individual to inquire, Under what authority the expence incurred in the erection of the stoves and chimnies in question(amounting, it is said, to five hundred pounds and upwards) was levied on the inhabitants of the parish generally?" Can the churchwardens answer this in any other way than by stating, that they did it under their own authority?

I would not, Mr. Editor, be thought to speak contemptuously of the fine arts, but I am bold to say that they are not of more consequence to the people of Coventry, than the arts of life; nor ought the principles of taste to be held paramount to the principles of justice. Coventry, June 1, 1813. G. C.

To the Editor of the Monthly Magazine.

SIR,

W

E have almost daily proofs that meteors are capable of collecting the atoms of matter in the atmosphere, and forming of them solid bodies of very considerable magnitude and weight. It is not difficult to suppose a meteor to take place under such circumstances, as to become the nucleus of a planet; and that the first of all planets might originate in this manner. At that time there could not be other bodies of any kind to influence it by attraction, or clash with it in its course. At such an early period of time, every material thing, or the elements of all materials could not be otherwise than in a state of atoms, or, if you prefer the expression, of universal solution. Every appearance indicates that, under such circumstances, a me teor took place, and that, on the prin ciple of gravity, rapidly collected other atoms of matter, by which it increased in magnitude every instant, and consequently it would, in no very great length of time, become what we call a planet.

In this manner all the planets in the universe, which we contemplate in a starry night with emotions of adoration to the author of them, may have been brought into existence, and have had their course assigned.

Although this does not amount to a mathematical demonstration, it is most highly probable that such was the origin of the planet on which we are placed.

In the foregoing manner, a vast quan tity of materials would soon be collected, but all except the nucleus would be in a state of universal solution, not separated from water, but half liquid and floating, not very unlike the yolk of an egg within D

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its white. This would be followed by a subsidence, in which the heavier materials would gravitate towards the nucleus in the center. And the subsidence of heavier materials would place those of the greater gravity on the nucleus at the center. These would coalesce so much, as to expel the watery fluid and form a tolerably solid covering round the nucleus. Upon that center all the other materials contained in the then state of the aqueous fluid, would be deposited stratum super stratum. These things would take place in a regular succession, and, so far as depended on the materials, which, mixed with water, formed the state of chaos, the depositions would not employ any vastly great length of time. In this state of things, the globe then approaching towards solidity, would be wholly covered by water, and that could not be other wise than nearly of the same depth in all places. Such probably was the primi tive state of this planet; therefore the teris primitive strata, primitive rocks, or primitive mountains, ought not to be applied to any other strata than such as had subsided at this early age of the planet. These materials, like all others in so damp a state, would undergo fermentation, in which they would give out vast quantities of elastic vapour, and successively produce explosions of the most tremendous kind; which would raise large masses of primitive strata in such a manner, as to form cavities of great capacity below the sea, and mountains of proportionate, but not of equal, magnitude above it. It is obvious that fermentation and explosion could not do otherwise than produce cavities and corresponding mountains; and that the earliest of all cavities and mountains were produced in this manner. Fragments of strata in considerable quantity would fall into the cavities, and these would prevent the mountains from returning accurately to their former places. The remainder of the cavities would immediately be filled from the circumambient fluid; and that would lower very cousiderably the former level of the water, in which manner more land would be left dry. These explosions would be renewed from time to time, by which fresh cavi ties would be formed and filled with fragments and water as before; in this manner the surface of the ocean would be successively lowered, and the quantity of dry land increased.

These eruptions, by which the water was reduced to a lower level, and dry

land more and more extended, would be continued until the general moisture was dissipated, and the materials of the planet were become dry. The present appearance of this planet, geologically con sidered, is supposed to be favourable to these reflections; and the state of its strata and fossils, as well as the nature of things, are equally in favour of what follows. There cannot possibly be any organic remains of this date, as the strata to this time were consolidated before the creation of vegetables or any animated being. This consideration will assist us in drawing a line between primitive and secondary strata; as no organic remains have been found in any of the varieties of granite, and, as that formation lies below every other stratum which has come under the view of man, it is by all geologists deemed primitive.

The many years which this planet was in existence, and successively adding layer upon layer of solid materials, and thereby increasing its own magnitude, before the creation of either vegetable or animal, will be for ever hidden from human knowledge. But we have evidence sufficient to prove, that, subsequently to the time when granite ceased to be formed, the whole of this planet (with the exception of the tops of granite moun tains, few in number, and of trifling extent, in comparison with the whole) has been enveloped by water. That fluid must have been of vast depth and of an impure kind; for from it has been deposited, first, the slate strata of several thousand feet thick; secondly, the grey limestone; thirdly, the limestone strata; fourthly, the millstone grit; fifthly, the coal measures; then the red sandstone; and so on to the weald measures, the fullers-earth sand, chalk, and others, to the number of upwards of twenty distinct formations, several of which are a thou sand feet or more in thickness.

The existence and position of strata to the extent of a few hundred yards, is ascertained by the digging of mines. If strata were in all cases truly horizontal, we should never have known the number and thickness to any greater depth than that of the deepest mine. Their origi nal position was horizontal, or rather shell enveloping shell, like the coats of an onion; but that has been greatly altered by explosions and by crystallization, and also by the coalition of planets. These powerful agents have laid open to the light of the sun, and for the benefit of the inhabitants of the planet, the

broken

broken edges of strata, which other wise were buried at an impenetrable depth.

An intelligent mineralogist can ascertain the position of strata at this time, and the order in which they were origi nally formed, with the utmost degree of certainty. This he is enabled to do by observing and noting the appearances in mines; the rising of strata from considerable depths to the surface, and most readily of all by tracing the cliffs along the sea coasts. In this manner, strata may be traced from the surface of this planet downwards through all the forma. tions to granite. These strata, in the aggregate, form a thickness of between two and four miles, and that thickness of solid earth has been deposited and accumulated since granite ceased to be formed.

The slate stratum is the next above granite, and like granite it is of very great thickness. I have not seen any fossil impressions in this formation, neither have I heard or read of its containing any; and as all the superincumbent strata contain organic remains, I shall conclude that the slate stratum was the last formation before the creation of animated beings.

How many thousand years the foregoing accumulations continued to take place, before the creation of animated beings, cannot now be guessed at. But, that fish were not only the first of all created beings, but the only animated beings on this planet, during countless ages, is very evident in the appearance of the grey limestone stratum, which has accumulated at the bottom of the ocean by the perishing of myriads of shell-fish.

After the deposition of the slate strata, it seems to have pleased the Almighty to create the least of all animated beings. First shell-fish, the least removed from inert matter, and afterwards those of greater perfection; and, lastly, those of beauty. In the course of these works of creation, the number of genera and species were successively increased. Fish were the only animated beings on this planet at that time, and they multiplied exceedingly; and died in myriads, by which the shells of dead fish accumulated at the bottom of the ocean in such countless numbers, and during such a long period of time, as to form beds of very great thickness. Which, in later times, became the grey limestone, a calcareous stratum of nearly a thousand feet thick; that at a more advanced period of the

world has contributed largely to the fertility of the soil, and in that manner to increase the quantity of vegetation, and the number of animals. The next step towards more perfect beings was, the creation of fish with the power of moving from place to place; these were succeeded by others of more perfect form and of swifter motion, as well as of larger size ; which were provided with the capacity and necessity for the larger feeding on the less.

In all the works of creation, the fish, birds, and beast of prey must have been created subsequently to what they were intended to feed on. It is agreeably to the nature of fish that they might exist before the formation of dry land, and they certainly did live when there was no other land than small patches of bald granite. After the formation of extensive tracts of secondary strata of dry land, the time came for the creation of vegetables; and it was so. These would be many years in covering the land, and arriving at such a state of maturity, as was necessary for the support of land animals. And that theearth was covered by vegetation without animals, during a vastly long time, is rendered exceedingly probable by the state of our coal measures and other strata. The most recently formed regular stratum is the blue clay of London, (for we cannot call the gravel and sand, which covers the blue clay partially, by the name of stratum,) and the top of that is the first which proves the existence of timber and land animals. When the vegetation was found capable of supporting the least perfect animals, they would be created; to these a succession of the creation of animals more and more perfectly formed succeeded. When these had multiplied to such an excess as to exceed their means of subsistence, and to occasion their miserable deaths by famine, it became the pleasure of the Deity to create beasts of prey. After the land had become stocked with vegetables and fruit, reptiles and animals, in such abundance as, by their joint effects in meliorating the soil and purifying the atmosphere, fit for the existence of man, it then became the plea. sure of God to create Adam and Eve. JOHN MIDDLETON.

Lambeth, Jan. 1813.