James McBride

“ A space of nearly forty degrees of latitude remains as little known to us, as if it were a part of the surface of Saturn, or an orb revolving round a star of the eighth magnitude. We know nothing of the inhabitants of those regions, or what kind of animate beings exist in them.
It was a prevailing opinion among the ancients, the correctness of which they for ages never called in question, that the temperate zones of our globe were alone habitable.—The torrid zone they imagined was composed of nothing but sandy deserts, scorched up by the vertical and insupportable beams of a burning sun. ”

“ Long before I heard of Symmes's theory, or perhaps before it had an existence in the mind of man, when reading accounts of earthquakes, it appeared to me altogether unaccountable, that such violent concussions could take place in one part of the world, and not be felt throughout the globe. It appears altogether inconsistent, that one part of a solid piece of matter, would be shaken so violently, without affecting the whole mass. We are informed by authentic history, that whole islands, and vast sections of country, have been sunk by earthquakes, and never more heard of. ”

“ We are constrained to acknowledge, notwithstanding our improvements in science, that, comparatively, we know but little of the economy of nature. Within a few years past, almost an entire revolution has taken place in the world respecting the philosophy of light and heat—a change which affects the theory both of their nature, and of their causes:—They are now believed to be two distinct things, and that the sun communicates neither, but merely gives activity, in some manner not yet known, to the principles, or matter, of light and heat with which our elements abound. ”

“ Why then should we believe, or even presume to think, that the Almighty Fiat, which spoke matter into existence, for the support and maintenance of living creatures, innumerable, and endless in the variety of their organization, their colours, their passions, and their pursuits—why, I say, should we then presume, that the omnifick word would create even the smallest particle of any of the immense, the innumerable orbs in the universe, of inert or useless matter, devoid of activity and design? ”

“ Could our public vessels be better employed, than in surveying our north-west coast, and in discovery? Our naval officers would rejoice on seeing opened to their view a new path to fame, independent of the acquisition to their nautical experience. Many of our brave and skilful navigators would be proud of an appointment in such an enterprise; many naturalists and men of science, would cheerfully, at their own expense, if necessary, accompany such an expedition. ”

“ Even yet, a vast portion of our globe remains unexplored. Why then should we contribute nothing towards the attainment of the grand pursuit of nations? We, who are destined, I hope, one day to stand as the first nation under the sun—Why should we fold our arms and sit inactive, while that little spot Great Britain, is making such efforts to explore those regions? ”

“ Had the earth, at its formation, been a solid globe, four times as hard as hammered iron at the centre, and gradually lessening in density towards the surface, we must admit that it would still be solid matter. Governing ourselves by these principles, how can we imagine that such immense caverns, filled with combustible matter, as would be necessary to supply those volcanoes from time immemorial, could have existed? ”

“ I would ask, what proofs have we, that the sphere we inhabit is solid beyond the degree of thickness necessary to preserve it from injury by its rapid motion round the sun, by its diurnal motion round its own axis, and by its motion round its common centre of gravity with the moon? It has been ascertained with mathematical certainty, that the large planet Jupiter, is more than 1300 times the bulk of the earth, and Saturn independent of his double ring, is about 1000 times the size. ”

“ The appearance of Saturn, I conceive, establishes the fact, that the principle of concentric spheres, or hollow planets, does exist, at least in one instance, in the solar system. And if the fact be established that it exists in one case, is it not fair, nay, is it not almost a certain and necessary consequence, that the same laws of matter which formed one planet into concentric spheres, must form all the others on a plan more or less the same? ”

“ The doctrine of the revolutions of the earth, and other planets; of gravitation, magnetism, and other properties now known to belong to matter; have each in their turn met with a strong opposition from the most learned men living at the time of their discovery. But, notwithstanding this opposition, in all ages, a few bold, enquiring minds have had the firmness to dissent from the established doctrines of the schoolmen, and to lay the foundation of new systems, the correctness of which subsequent improvements in science have more or less demonstrated to the world. ”

“ Turn your attention to the general economy of nature throughout her works, and you will perceive in various and almost innumerable substances that she forms hollow cylinders or spheres in the room of solid ones. Enquire of the botanist, and he will tell you that the plants which spring up spontaneously, agreeable to the established laws of nature, are hollow cylinders. If a hollow globe would answer the ends of supporting organic life as well as a solid one—why not be hollow, as well as a stalk of wheat? ”

“ I can see no substantial reason why the inhabitants of that portion of the earth, (if any exist there) should be furnished with as great a degree of light, and as intense a heat, as we have upon the convex part of the sphere. Must it of necessity follow, that it cannot be inhabited, or if inhabited, that the beings who people its surface, are less happy than we? ”

“ Why should the horns of Venus assume different shapes? What would make the appearance of belts on Jupiter? Or rings and concentric circles at the poles of Mars? And, finally, in what position could a round solid globe be placed, to exhibit the rings of Saturn, revolving with different velocities, as it respects each other, and spaces appearing between them and the body of the planet, through which stars, millions of miles beyond, can be distinctly seen? These are phenomena I should like to hear explained. ”

“ However, if we direct our attention alone to those general laws which are known, and which are believed to govern matter, I apprehend it would be very difficult to account for the creation of worlds, and the admirable arrangement which subsists throughout the universe. To account for every thing, either according to the old or new theory, would be attempting too much. It would be placing the Deity in some corner of the universe an idle spectator, whilst matter governed by its own laws, was forming itself into worlds and systems ”

“ This earth, when compared with the magnitude and number of other planets we know, is but as a point; yet we can hardly conceive, small as she appears by comparison, that she was only designed to have animate life on her surface, and all the rest to remain useless! Such an idea seems unworthy of the Divine Being, whose essence is all perfection. Can we for a moment suppose, that the interior parts of the earth, have received less attention from the Creator, than the objects which are under our immediate inspection? ”

“ It often happens, that those who have been early taught to believe a certain set of principles and doctrines as true, whether in philosophy, religion, or politics, adhere to them with the utmost pertinacity during the remainder of their lives. Any new theory, or principle, is resisted with peculiar energy; and, however inconsistent or untrue their favorite systems may be, they are disposed to make principles and facts bend to them; and would sooner call in question the general and immutable laws of nature, than the correctness of their own opinions. ”

“ This great and alarming objection comes next:—that we are about placing a world in eternal darkness, cut off from all the comforts and pleasures of refined life, for the enjoyment of which we are so eminently qualified. Let us examine the force of this objection; and if we cannot show that the interior is, at least in some degree, illuminated, we must then conclude that it is a very dreary abode, and unfitted for the residence of beings so fond of light as we profess to be. ”

“ In those times the people of every nation, like the untutored Indian of our North Western wilderness at this day, considered their own country to be situated in the centre of the world, and they, the most favoured people. Even in later times, when the system of the Babylonians, and that of Pythagoras, were revived by Copernicus; and, when new discoveries respecting the form and revolutions of the earth, and other parts of the universe, were made by Galileo, not more than two hundred years since, we find an ignorant and bigoted world alarmed at such opinions. ”

“ Hence we cannot but respect and admire the man, who, regardless of the hard fate of so many who have trod before him, in the thorny path of improvement, still has the fortitude and philosophy of mind to spend years in toil and study—to labour by day with persevering industry—and trim the midnight lamp with the vigilance ascribed to the ancient vestals, in bringing to perfection an idea, from which he hopes to reap fame and benefit to himself, and to reflect credit, at the same time, on the genius of his country. ”

“ In the infancy of Chemistry and Natural Philosophy, it was imagined that earthquakes might be easily explained; in proportion as these sciences have become more correct and more profound, this confidence has decreased. But by a propensity, for which the character of the human mind sufficiently accounts, all the new physical agents which have been successively discovered, such as electricity, magnetism, the inflammation of gases, the decomposition and recomposition of water, have been maintained in theories as the causes of the great phenomena of nature. ”

“ While the English, the Russians, and the French, are making great exertions for the purpose of discovery, and the advancement of science; will America remain idle and inactive? Will she adopt the unwise policy that individual enterprise ought to be let alone? Other nations act differently; and they have long been directing their researches towards the acquisition of a more perfect knowledge of our globe: and such exertions have always been considered as the most glorious actions on record in the annals of their history. ”

“ However, as far as civilized man has yet ventured to penetrate towards the poles, we find that plants grow, flowers bloom, and human beings make a permanent residence; nay, even the untutored savages who reside there tell us that other human beings reside yet further to the north; and animals are known to migrate in that direction. Reasoning then from analogy, and from what we know, we have no ground to conclude that such a vast extent of surface has been created by an all-wise Providence for no other purpose, than to be eternally clothed with mountains of ice. ”

“ Of the many various and conflicting theories which have been advanced, relative to the form, structure, and motion of the earth, the theory of Concentric Spheres deserves to rank as one of the most important: for, should it hereafter be found correct, the advantages resulting to the civilized and learned world, must cause it to stand pre-eminent among the improvements in philosophy. The habitable superfices of our sphere would not only be nearly doubled; but the different spheres of which our earth is probably constituted, might increase the habitable surface ten-fold. ”

“ If the earth be not hollow, (or at least greatly concave about the poles) where could all those fish find room in winter? But on Symmes's plan, admitting the globe to be a hollow sphere, and the inner, or concave part, as habitable as without, (at least as habitable for fish) the whole matter is at once explained.
Whales, and various fish, delight in cold regions. ”

“ Many hollow cylinders and spherical figures, we know do exist on the surface of the earth; and notwithstanding their own gravity, which the different parts exert on each other, as well as the gravity of the earth, they retain their shape and position; and had the matter in the earth originally been thrown by a centrifugal force into the form of a hollow sphere, or had the first creating power originally given it that shape,—I can discover no good reason for a change; neither should I entertain any apprehensions of the particles of matter coalescing at the centre. ”

“ But so long as they lack confidence in the theory, it can scarcely be expected they will make the discovery; the winding meridians which they will pursue, when intending to proceed straight forward, will keep them bewildered among the ice, along the circle of the verge, or finally bring them out towards the exterior surface of the sphere, no wiser than when they set out.
As yet, we are more indebted to other nations, than our own, for a knowledge of the continent of America. A knowledge of the north-west coast is interesting to the civilized world at large ”