good, and his tender mercies are over all his works." And that which to men at first sight appears like cruelty, is, in fact, benevolence, and productive of the best and happiest consequences, and excites anew our admiration of divine wisdom and goodness.

FIFTH EPOCH.-14th Period.

THE FLOOD.

The next question is, Does it appear that there has been a comparatively recent deluge? To this we answer, Yes. Infidelity has made objections to this event as it is narrated in the Bible; we are therefore led to inquire particularly into the facts; and from different sources to collect proof.

1. Tradition proves very clearly the prevalence of a great flood over the earth, and recent in its date. Every nation has some tradition of such an event. If such an event ever happened, this would naturally be the case. An event of such magnitude and producing such wonderful effects would not easily be forgotten; although the details, from a variety of causes, might be confused and fabulous; to which, indeed, all ignorant people are inclined. When

we examine the records of antiquity, Diodorus Siculus gives an account of such an event, and mentions the concurrence of many nations, and gives the names of authors, as Berosus and others. Eusebius has preserved important extracts, taken from the writings of the Medes, Persians, and Babylonians, which even mention that birds were sent out to ascertain if the flood had subsided; but not finding a restingplace returned. This was repeated three times, when the birds came back with soil adhering to their feet, by which it was known that the waters had fallen. Plutarch mentions the dove of Noah. In general, all the nations of Asia, Africa, Europe, and America, have this tradition. So far as the universal consent of mankind can go to establish any fact, the fact of a general deluge is confirmed.

So great and general a calamity could scarcely fail to make a strong impression on the minds of men, which would be communicated by tradition among men as they spread over the earth. Still, the traditions, though preserving the general facts in barbarous ages, and among a people destitute of letters, would soon become corrupted, and the particular circumstance be lost or obscured.

Such appears to be the fact, and we find a body of traditionary testimony confirming the Bible account of a flood so strongly that soberininded men can scarcely doubt it.

These traditions are as commonly and generally received on the Western as they are on the Eastern Continent.

The inhabitants of the island of Cuba believe that the world was once destroyed by a flood of water, and three persons were saved. The Peruvians believe in a universal deluge caused by great rains, and that a very few escaped destruction.

The native Brazilians not only preserve the tradition of a deluge, but believe that the whole human race perished except one man and one

woman.

It is said the Mexicans believed in a deluge by which men were destroyed, and a single family was preserved in an ark, and with them a sufficient number of animals were saved to stock the world.

Humboldt says in his travels, that the natives on the Orinoco had a tradition of a great water, when their fathers were obliged to take to their canoes, in order to escape the general deluge.

Such, indeed, is the tradition of the aborigines of the whole continent, and it affords a collateral evidence of great importance of a universal deluge.

2. The face of the earth has evidently undergone a great change by a flood of water rushing from north to south, and its operation may be traced on the earth in filling up, tearing down, digging out, and levelling. These changes any one even of small observation may see, and the conviction is clear that water has flowed with great force over the earth.

Valleys, which appear to have been recently drained, and are, at present, dry land, very clearly prove the presence of water in them, not deep, but having long lain there; and would seem of a date long after the first appearance of dry land.

One of these small lakes may be traced in the towns of Washington and Amenia in the county of Dutchess. It was formerly called the great Tamarack swamp. It is from eight to ten miles long, and from one to one and a half miles wide. The bounds may be traced from any of the high grounds in the neighborhood. The greater part of the bottom of this lake is now fine meadow. The south end of

this lake is about fifteen miles from Poughkeepsie, near the turnpike. Here the waters divide; a small stream takes its course south, joins Wappenger's Creek, and passes off to the Hudson. Near the same place a stream rises which increases rapidly, and running north through the swamps and meadows forms the Great Mill Brook. Four or five miles from the source it turns to the northeast, and passing through a clove in the mountain, in the town of Amenia, joins the Oblong Creek on its way to the Sound.

In the county of Ulster the recent action of water is clearly marked. The Rondout Creek is a fine stream in that county. Its source is in a beautiful lake about a mile long, lying near the Wittenberg in the Catskill range. It runs west six miles, and then turns to the south; and at the turn unites with a stream called Chestnutkill, and is called Laghawack. The Chestnutkill rises near Thunderhill, a mile or two from the Navasink. On this height of ground the streams part. Those which run west fall into the Navasink, and pass to the Delaware, and those which flow east unite with the Rondout. The stream bending east flows over a rocky bottom for twenty miles,