FOOTNOTES:
[a] Nemo dixerit terram pulchriorem esse quòd cavernosa sit, quòd dehiscat in multis locis, quòd disrupta caveis & spatiis inanibus; iisque nullo ordine dispositis, nullâ formâ: nec quæ aliud contineant quàm tenebras & sordes; unde graves & pestifera exhalationes, terræ motus, &c. Burnet ubi supr. c. 7.
[] The Zirchnitzer Sea in Carniola, is of great Use to the Inhabitants of that Country, by affording them Fish, Fowls, Fodder, Seeds, Deer, Swine, and other Beasts, Carriage for their Goods, &c. Vid. Phil. Trans. Nr. 191, &c. or Lowth. Abridg. Vol. 2. p. 306, &c. where you have put together in one View, what is dispersed in divers of the Transactions. This Sea or Lake proceeds from some subterraneous Grotto, or Lake, as is made highly probable by Mr. Valvasor, Ibid.
The Grotto Podpetschio may be another Instance, that the very subterraneous Lakes may be of Use, even to the Inhabitants of the Surface above: Of which see Lowth. ubi supr. pag. 317. Sturmius also may be consulted herein his Philos. Eclect. Exercit. 11. de Terræ mot. particularly in Chap. 3. some of the most eminent Specus’s are enumerated, and some of their Uses.
[c] Crebri specus [remedium] præbent. Præconceptum enim spiritum exhalant: quod in certis notatur oppidis, quæ minùs quatiuntur, crebris ad eluviem cuniculis cavata. Plin. Hist. Nat. lib. 2. cap. 82.
[d] Woodward’s Essay, Part 3. Consect. 13.
CHAP. IV.
Of the Mountains and Valleys.
The last Thing I shall take notice of relating to the Earth, shall be the Hills and Valleys. These the eloquent Theorist owns to “contain somewhat august and stately in the beholding of them, that inspireth the Mind with great Thoughts and Passions, that we naturally on such Occasions think of God and his Greatness”. But then, at the same Time he saith, “The Hills are the greatest Examples of Ruin and Confusion; that they have neither Form nor Beauty, nor Shape, nor Order, any more than the Clouds in the Air; that they consist not of any proportion of Parts, referable to any Design, nor have the least Footsteps of Art or Counsel”. Consequently one grand Part of this lower Creation, even the whole present Face of our terraqueous Globe, according to this ingenious Author, is a Work of mere Chance, a Structure in which the Creator did not concern himself.
Part of this Charge I have already briefly answered, and my Survey now leads me to shew, that the Mountains are so far from being a Blunder of Chance, a Work without Design, that they are a noble, useful, yea, a necessary part of our Globe[a].
And in the first Place, as to the Business of Ornament, Beauty, and Pleasure, I may appeal to all Men’s Senses, whether the grateful Variety of Hills and Dales, be not more pleasing than the largest continued Planes. Let those who make it their Business to visit the Globe, to divert their Sight with the various Prospects of the Earth; let these, I say, judge whether the far distant Parts of the Earth would be so well worth visiting, if the Earth was every where of an even, level, globous Surface, or one large Plane of many 1000 Miles; and not rather, as now it is, whether it be not far more pleasing to the Eye, to view from the Tops of the Mountains the subjacent Vales and Streams, and the far distant Hills; and again from the Vales to behold the surrounding Mountains. The elegant Strains and lofty Flights, both of the ancient and modern Poets on these Occasions, are Testimonies of the Sense of Mankind on this Configuration of the Earth.
But be the Case as it will as to Beauty, which is the least valuable Consideration, we shall find as to Convenience, this Configuration of the Earth far the most commodious on several Accounts.
1. As it is the most salubrious, of great use to the Preservation or Restoration of the Health of Man. Some Constitutions are indeed of so happy a Strength, and so confirmed in Health, as to be indifferent to almost any Place or Temperature of the Air: But then others are so weakly and feeble, as not to be able to bear one, but can live comfortably in another Place. With some, the finer and more subtile Air of the Hills doth best agree, who are languishing and dying in the feculent and grosser Air of great Towns, or even the warmer, and vaporous Air of the Valleys and Waters: But contrarywise, others languish on the Hills, and grow lusty and strong in the warmer Air of the Valleys.
So that this Opportunity of shifting our Abode from the warmer and more vaporous Air of the Valleys, to the colder and mote subtile Air of the Hills, or from the Hills to the Vales, is an admirable Easement, Refreshment, and great Benefit to the valetudinarian, feeble part of Mankind, affording those an easy and comfortable Life, who would otherwise live miserably, languish and pine away.
2. To this salutary Conformation of the Earth, we may add another great Convenience of the Hills, and that is, in affording commodious Places for Habitation; serving (as an eminent Author[] wordeth it) “as Skreens to keep off the cold and nipping Blasts of the northern and easterly Winds, and reflecting the benign and cherishing Sun-Beams, and so rendering our Habitations both more comfortable and more chearly in Winter; and promoting the Growth of Herbs and Fruit-Trees, and the Maturation of the Fruits in Summer.”
3. Another Benefit of the Hills is, that they serve for the Production of great Varieties of Herbs and Trees[c]. And as there was not a better Judge of those Matters, so I cannot give a better Account of this Convenience, than in the Words of the last cited famous Author, the late most eminent and learned Mr. Ray[d], (who hath so fully discussed this Subject I am upon, that it is scarce possible to tread out of his Steps therein). His Observation is, “That the Mountains do especially abound with different Species of Vegetables, because of the great Diversity of Soils that are found there, every Vertex or Eminence almost, affording new Kinds. Now these Plants, (saith he,) serve partly for the Food and Sustenance of such Animals as are proper to the Mountains, partly for medicinal Uses; the chief Physick, Herbs and Roots, and the best in their Kinds growing there: It being remarkable, that the greatest and most luxuriant Species in most Genera of Plants are native of the Mountains.”
4. Another Convenience which my last named learned Friend observes[e] is, “That the Mountains serve for the Harbour, Entertainment, and Maintenance of various Animals; Birds, Beasts and Insects, that breed, feed and frequent there. For, (saith he) the highest Tops and Pikes of the Alps themselves are not destitute of their Inhabitants, the Ibex or Stein-buck, the Rupicapra or Chamois, among Quadrupeds; the Lagopus among Birds. And I my self (saith he) have observed beautiful Papilio’s, and Store of other Insects upon the Tops of some of the Alpine Mountains. Nay, the highest Ridges of many of these Mountains, serve for the Maintenance of Cattle, for the Service of the Inhabitants of the Valleys.”
5. Another Thing he observes is, “That those long Ridges and Chains of lofty and topping Mountains, which run through whole Continents East and West[f], serve to stop the Evagation of the Vapours to the North and South in hot Countries, condensing them like Alembick Heads into Water and so (according to his Opinion) by a kind of external Distillation giving original to Springs and Rivers; and likewise by amassing, cooling and constipating of them, turn them into Rain, by those Means rendring the fervid Regions of the torrid Zone habitable.”
To these might be added some other Uses and Conveniences[g]; as that the Hills serve to the Generation of Minerals and Metals[h], and that in them principally are the most useful Fossiles found; or if not found and generated only in them, yet at least all these subterraneous Treasures are most easily come at in them: Also their Use to several Nations of the Earth, in being Boundaries and Bullwarks to them. But there is only one Use more that I shall insist on, and that is,
6. And lastly, That it is to the Hills that the Fountains owe their Rise, and the Rivers their Conveyance. As it is not proper, so neither shall I here enter into any Dispute about the Origine of Springs, commonly assigned by curious and learned Philosophers. But whether their Origine be from condensed Vapours, as some think[]; or from Rains falling, as others; or whether they are derived from the Sea by way of Attraction, Percolation, or Distillation; or whether all these Causes concur, or only some, still the Hills are the grand Agent in this prodigious Benefit to all the Earth: Those vast Masses and Ridges of Earth serving as so many huge Alembicks or Cola in this noble Work of Nature.
But be the Modus, or the Method Nature takes in this great Work as it will, it is sufficient to my Purpose, that the Hills are a grand Agent in this so noble and necessary a Work: And consequently, that those vast Masses and lofty Piles are not as they are charged, such rude and useless Excrescences of our ill-formed Globe; but the admirable Tools of Nature, contrived and ordered by the infinite Creator, to do one of its most useful Works, and to dispense this great Blessing to all Parts of the Earth; without which neither Animals could live, nor Vegetables scarcely grow, nor perhaps Minerals, Metals, or Fossiles receive any Increase. For was the Surface of the Earth even and level, and the middle Parts of its Islands and Continents, not mountainous and high, (as now it is) it is most certain there could be no Descent for the Rivers, no Conveyance for the Waters; but instead of gliding along those gentle Declivities which the higher Lands now afford them quite down to the Sea, they would stagnate, and perhaps stink, and also drown large Tracts of Land.
But indeed, without Hills, as there could be no Rivers, so neither could there be any Fountains, or Springs about the Earth; because, if we could suppose a Land could be well watered (which I think not possible) without the higher Lands, the Waters could find no Descent, no Passage through any commodious Out-lets, by Virtue of their own Gravity; and therefore could not break out into those commodious Passages and Currents, which we every where almost find in, or near the Hills, and seldom, or never in large and spacious Planes; and when we do find them in them, it is generally at great and inconvenient Depths of the Earth; nay, those very subterraneous Waters, that are any where met with by digging in these Planes, are in all Probability owing to the Hills, either near or far distant: As among other Instances may be made out, from the forcible Eruption of the subterraneous Waters in digging Wells, in the lower Austria, and the Territories of Modena, and Bologna in Italy, mentioned by my fore-named learned Friend Mr. Ray[k]. Or if there be any such Place found throughout the Earth, that is devoid of Mountains, and yet well watered, as perhaps some small Islands may; yet in this very Case, that whole Mass of Land is no other than as one Mountain descending, (though unperceivedly) gently down from the Mid-land Parts to the Sea, as most other Lands do; as is manifest from the Descent of their Rivers, the Principal of which in most Countries have generally their Rise in the more lofty Mid-land Parts.
And now considering what hath been said concerning this last Use of the Hills, there are two or three Acts of the divine Providence observable therein. One is, that all Countries throughout the whole World, should enjoy this great Benefit of Mountains, placed here and there, at due and proper Distances, to afford these several Nations this excellent and most necessary Element the Waters. For according to Nature’s Tendency, when the Earth and Waters were separated, and order’d to their several Places, the Earth must have been of an even Surface, or nearly so. The several component Parts of the Earth, must have subsided according to their several specifick Gravities, and at last have ended in a large, even, spherical Surface, every where equi-distant from the Center of the Globe. But that instead of this Form, so incommodious for the Conveyance of the Waters, it should be jetted out every where into Hills and Dales, so necessary for that purpose, is a manifest Sign of an especial Providence of the wise Creator.
So another plain Sign of the same especial Providence of God, in this Matter, is, that generally throughout the whole World, the Earth is so dispos’d, so order’d, so well laid; I may say, that the Mid-land Parts, or Parts farther from the Sea, are commonly the highest: Which is manifest, I have said, from the Descent of the Rivers. Now this is an admirable Provision the wise Creator hath made for the commodious Passages of the Rivers, and for draining the several Countries, and carrying off the superfluous Waters from the whole Earth, which would be as great an Annoyance, as now they are a Convenience.
Another providential Benefit of the Hills supplying the Earth with Water, is, that they are not only instrumental thereby, to the Fertility of the Valleys, but to their own also[l]; to the Verdure of the Vegetables without, and to the Increment and Vigour of the Treasures within them.
Thus having vindicated the present Form and Fabrick of the Earth, as distributed into Mountains and Valleys, and thereby shewn in some Measure the Use thereof, particularly of the Mountains, which are chiefly found fault with: I have, I hope, made it in some Measure evident, that God was no idle Spectator[m], nor unconcerned in the ordering of the terraqueous Globe, as the former bold Charges against it do infer; that he did not suffer so grand a Work, as the Earth, to go unfinish’d out of his almighty Hand; or leave it to be ordered by Chance, by natural Gravity, by casual Earthquakes, &c. but that the noble Strokes, and plain Remains of Wisdom and Power therein, do manifest it to be his Work. That particularly the Hills and Vales, though to a peevish weary Traveller, they may seem incommodious and troublesome; yet are a noble Work of the great Creator, and wisely appointed by him for the Good of our sublunary World.
And so for all the other Parts of our terraqueous Globe, that are presumed to be found fault with by some, as if carelessly order’d, and made without any Design or End; particularly the Distribution of the dry Land and Waters; the laying the several Strata, or Beds of Earth, Stone, and other Layers before spoken of; the Creation of noxious Animals, and poisonous Substances, the boisterous Winds; the Vulcano’s, and many other Things which some are angry with, and will pretend to amend: I have before shewn, that an infinitely wise Providence, an almighty Hand was concerned even in them; that they all have their admirable Ends and Uses, and are highly instrumental and beneficial to the Being, or Well-being of this our Globe, or to the Creatures residing thereon.
So also for humane Bodies, it hath been an ancient[n], as well as modern Complaint, that our Bodies are not as big as those of other Animals; that we cannot run as swift as Deer, fly like Birds, and that we are out-done by many Creatures in the Accuracy of the Senses, with more to the same Purpose. But these Objections are well answered by Seneca[o], and will receive a fuller Solution from what I shall observe of animal Bodies hereafter.
But indeed, after all, it is only for want of our knowing these Things better, that we do not admire[p] them enough; it is our own Ignorance, Dulness or Prejudice, that makes us charge those noble Works of the Almighty, as Defects or Blunders, as ill-contriv’d, or ill-made.
It is therefore fitter for such finite, weak, ignorant Beings as we, to be humble and meek, and conscious of our Ignorance, and jealous of our own Judgment, when it thus confronteth infinite Wisdom. Let us remember how few Things we know, how many we err about, and how many we are ignorant of: And those, many of them, the most familiar, obvious Things: Things that we see and handle at Pleasure; yea, our own very Bodies, and that very Part of us whereby we understand at all, our Soul. And should we therefore pretend to censure what God doth! Should we pretend to amend his Work! Or to advise infinite Wisdom! Or to know the Ends and Purposes of his infinite Will, as if we were of his Council! No, let us bear in Mind, that there Objections are the Products, not of Reason, but of Peevishness. They have been incommoded by Storms and Tempests; they have been terrify’d with the burning Mountains, and Earthquakes; they have been annoy’d by the noxious Animals, and fatigu’d by the Hills; and therefore are angry, and will pretend to amend these Works of the Almighty. But in the Words of St. Paul[q], we may say, Nay, but O Man, who art thou that repliest against God? Shall the Thing formed say to him that formed it, Why hast thou made me thus? Hath not the Potter power over the Clay, of the same Lump to make one Vessel to honour, and another to dishonour? If the Almighty Lord of the World, had for his own Pleasure, made this our World more inconvenient for Man, it would better become us to sit still, and be quiet; to lament our own great Infirmities and Failings, which deserve a worse Place, a more incommodious Habitation, than we meet with in this elegant, this well contriv’d, well formed World; in which we find every Thing necessary for the Sustentation, Use and Pleasure, both of Man, and every other Creature here below; as well as some Whips, some Rods to scourge us for our Sins[r]. But yet so admirably well temper’d is our State, such an Accord, such an Harmony is there throughout the Creation, that if we will but pursue the Ways of Piety and Virtue, which God hath appointed; if we will form our Lives according to the Creator’s Laws, we may escape the Evils of this our frail State, and find sufficient Means to make us happy while we are in the Body. The natural Force and Tendency of our Virtue, will prevent many of the Harms[], and the watchful Providence of our Almighty Benefactor, will be a Guard against others; and then nothing is wanting to make us happy, as long as we are in this World, there being abundantly enough to entertain the Minds of the most contemplative; Glories enough to please the Eye of the most curious and inquisitive; Harmonies and Conforts of Nature’s own, as well as Man’s making, sufficient to delight the Ear of the most harmonious and musical; All Sorts of pleasant Gusto’s to gratify the Taste and Appetite, even of the most luxurious; And fragrant Odours to please the nicest and tenderest Smell: And in a Word, enough to make us love and delight in this World, rather too much, than too little, considering how nearly we are ally’d to another World, as well as this.
