Chapter I: Front Matter

Transcriber's Note: Italic text is denoted by _underscores_ and bold text by =equal signs=.

SYMMES'S THEORY OF CONCENTRIC SPHERES;

DEMONSTRATING THAT THE EARTH IS HOLLOW, HABITABLE WITHIN, AND WIDELY OPEN ABOUT THE POLES.

_By a Citizen of the United States._

"There are more things in Heaven and EARTH, Horatio,
Than are dreamt of in your philosophy!" SHAKSPEARE.

"If this man be erroneous, who appears to be so sanguine and persevering in his opinions, what withholds us but our sloth, our self-will, and distrust in the right cause, that we do not give him gentle meetings and a gentle dismission; that we debate not and examine the matter thoroughly, with liberal and frequent audience; if not for his sake, yet for our own; seeing that no man who hath tasted learning, but will confess the many ways of profiting by those, who, not content with stale receipts, are able to manage and set forth new positions to the world. And were they but as the dust and cinders of our feet, so long as in that notion, they may yet serve to polish and brighten the armory of truth; even for that respect they are not utterly to be cast away." MILTON.

CINCINNATI:
PRINTED AND PUBLISHED BY MORGAN, LODGE AND FISHER.
1826.

DISTRICT OF OHIO, TO WIT.

BE IT REMEMBERED, that on the fourth day of April, in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and twenty six and in the fiftieth year of the American independence, MESSRS. MORGAN, LODGE AND FISHER, of said District, hath deposited in this office, the title of a book, the right whereof they claim as proprietors, in the words and figures following, to wit:

"Symmes's theory of concentric spheres; demonstrating that the earth is hollow, habitable within, and widely open about the poles: by a citizen of the United States. 'There are more things in Heaven and Earth Horatio, than are dreamt of in your philosophy' Shakespeare, 'If this man be erroneous who appears to be so sanguine and persevering in his opinions, what withholds us but our sloth, our self-will, and distrust in the right cause, that we do not give him gentle meetings and a gentle dismission; that we debate not and examine the matter thoroughly, with liberal and frequent audience: if not for his sake, yet for our own; seeing that no man who has tasted learning but will confess the many ways of profiting by those, who, not content with stale receipts, are able to manage and set forth new positions to the world. And were they but as the dust and cinders of our feet, so long as in that notion, they may yet serve to polish and brighten the armory of truth: even for that respect, they are not utterly to be cast away.' Milton."

In conformity to the act of Congress of the United States, entitled "An act for the encouragement of learning by securing the copies of Maps, Charts and Books to the proprietors of such copies during the times therein mentioned;" and also of the act entitled "An act supplementary to an act entitled an act for the encouragement of learning by securing the copies of Maps, Charts and Books, to the authors and proprietors of such copies, during the times therein mentioned, and extending the benefits thereof to the arts of designing, engraving and etching historical and other prints."

Attest, WILLIAM KEY BOND, CLERK.

ADVERTISEMENT.

The writer of the following work is said to be a resident of the Miami country. After reading Captain Symmes's numbers, and hearing some of his lectures, he wrote the work, it seems, in the first place without the idea of publication; but afterwards corrected and enlarged it, and left it with a friend of Captain Symmes for publication, sometime in the autumn of the year 1824. The nett profits were then, as now, to be paid to Captain Symmes, towards enabling him to promote and establish his principles: but owing to the absence of the author, and other circumstances, it has remained unpublished till now.

The author has chosen to present the work anonymously; and has obtained the promise of Captain Symmes to forbear criticising it in manuscript,――reserving any remarks or corrections, he may wish to make, for future publication. Some _errors of the press_ will doubtless be discovered; as (in the absence of both Compiler and Theorist) there was no _proof-reader_ at hand, sufficiently versed in the New Theory, at all times, to detect them.

THE PUBLISHERS.

_Cincinnati, April, 1826._

To the Public.

The following little treatise, was written in the autumn of the year eighteen hundred and twenty-four; when from the urgency of my common avocation, and from a desire to remain _incognito_, the manuscript was placed in the hands of a friend of Captain Symmes for publication. As it was not my intention to seek a publisher, or make advances to facilitate its progress, I left the country for a considerable length of time, without paying any further attention to the subject. Various difficulties intervening, delayed the publication, until _subsequent events_, have destroyed my chief inducement; which was, that these speculations, compiled from a cursory examination of facts, should go forth as a harbinger, merely, and not "_follow in the wake_," of public investigation.

THE AUTHOR.

_March, 1826._

Preface.

The author of the following pages does not write because he is a learned man; he is conscious of the reverse; and that his merits give him no claim to that appellation; neither does he make this attempt because he is well acquainted with either the new, or the old theories of the earth; but, from having observed that the Theory of Concentric Spheres has been before the world for six or seven years, without attracting the attention of the scientific, except in a very few instances;――few besides the author himself having come forward to advocate its correctness. The newspaper scribblers, who have noticed the theory at all, have almost uniformly appeared to consider it as a fit subject on which to indulge their wit, the sallies of which, clothed in all the humour and satire their fancies could suggest, have in some degree had a tendency to throw around it an air of levity very unfavourable to serious investigation. But to deal in sarcasm is not always reasoning; and the truth is not to be ascertained by indulging in ridicule.

Considerations of this nature, first induced the author to devote a short time to the task of investigating a subject, to which he had paid but little attention, and to give the several papers, published by Captain Symmes, a cursory examination; in the course of which, he noted such of Symmes's principles and proofs as attracted his attention, as they occurred; and has since presumed to arrange them in such order as his own fancy suggested; supposing that, as they had struck forcibly on his mind, they might perhaps attract the attention of some other person, whose habits of thinking may be similar to his own. He has in a few instances inserted, in addition to those which he has seen advanced by Captain Symmes, such reasons and proofs in support of the theory as occurred to him at the time. However, he has no claim to originality; as he has made a liberal use of the publications of Captain Symmes, as well as the remarks made on them by others, which came in his way.

The reader will not look for a complete analysis of the theory in this short treatise; it is not intended as such by the author, his object being merely to attract the attention of the learned, who are in the habit of indulging in more abstruse researches into the operation and effect of natural causes; and should it be found to merit the attention of such, it is hoped their enquiries may be so directed as to accelerate the march of scientific improvement, enlarge the field of philosophic speculation, and open to the world new objects of ambition and enterprise.

Should he therefore be fortunate enough to make any observations, or indulge in any reflections, in the course of the following chapters, that may merit the attention of the reader, he hopes they may in some degree atone for the many defects which will doubtless be discovered; with a sincere wish, that gentlemen of literature and science, who have made deeper researches than he pretends to, will have the goodness to correct them.

The author does not write for Fame: as anonymous compilers (and it is the author's wish to be considered in no other light) can never expect their true names to be inscribed on her records: neither do pecuniary considerations influence him, as he expects to reap no profit from the publication.

Should it attract public curiosity to such a degree, as to induce the sale of more copies than will be sufficient to meet the expense of printing, it is the author's desire, and he does hereby direct, and fully authorize the publishers, to pay over the nett profits to Captain Symmes, for the purpose of enabling him further to prosecute his studies; and to aid him in the accomplishment of his designs.

Whether Captain Symmes has hit upon an important truth in the economy of nature, as respects the organization of matter, it is not for the author to determine; to the more scientific we must look for a solution of the problem; to them it is submitted. The following pages are presented with no other intention, than as a hint to elicit the attention of others, who are qualified to investigate, and improve the subject. Should they, on examination, consider the matter worthy of their investigation, it will doubtless receive the attention which its importance so greatly demands. If it be erroneous, it is hoped they will detect, and expose its fallacy to the world; giving at the same time rational and satisfactory explanations of the many facts, and appearances which Captain Symmes adduces as proofs of his positions.

_August, A. D. 1824._

Apology TO CAPTAIN SYMMES.

SIR――

To you I would apologize for the liberties I have taken with your Theory, and your publications in relation to it, which have made their appearance in the newspapers of the day. When I commenced this compilation, in support of your doctrine of Concentric Spheres, I had no view to its publication. I had collected all the papers on the subject, upon which I could lay my hands, with the intention of investigating the Theory for my own satisfaction: but the scattered and irregular order in which I found them, and in which they must necessarily appear in detached Newspaper essays, published at different and distant times, induced me to attempt a methodical arrangement, for the purpose of facilitating my own enquiries. When I had completed this, the same reasons, added to the consideration, that you have not only invited, but solicited the investigation of your theory, declaring it "as free as air," to every person, to make such use of it as he may think proper, influenced me to conclude on publishing the result of my investigations. Having come to this determination, I have added a Preface, an Introductory chapter, and a few things in conclusion, to make it look more like a Book.

As I have not seen all your publications in the newspapers, if I have not fully understood, or if I have misrepresented your theory in any particular, I assure you it has been done unintentionally――it has arisen entirely from my want of adequate information; and I hope you will, in the spirit of candour and good nature, pardon and correct any errors into which I may have fallen. Had an opportunity offered, and could I have done it with propriety, I should certainly have submitted the manuscript to your revision, previous to its publication. However, as this sketch is only intended to elicit further investigation, and can only live until a formal and systematic treatise shall appear from your pen, I hope you will permit it to pass as the Pioneer to a more complete demonstration of your Theory of Concentric Spheres.

I AM SIR,

_One of the believers in that Theory_,――

THE AUTHOR.

1824.

CONTENTS.

CHAPTER I.

Containing an introductory glance at some of the different Theories and Opinions which have been embraced respecting the formation of the Earth, and the reception which those Theories met with from the world when first promulgated.

CHAPTER II.

Symmes's Theory; comprehending his description of the form of the earth, and of the other orbs in the Universe; his principles of gravity, and the points wherein he differs from the old or generally received theories.

CHAPTER III.

Symmes's Theory supported by arguments drawn from the principles inherent in matter, and the consequences resulting from motion; tending to show that, from necessity, matter must form itself into concentric circles or spheres, such as Symmes describes the earth to be composed of.

CHAPTER IV.

Arguments in support of Symmes's Theory, drawn from Celestial appearances.

CHAPTER V.

The Theory of Concentric Spheres, supported by arguments drawn from Terrestrial facts; such as the migration of animals to and from the arctic regions, and from refraction, and the variation of the compass, observed in high northern latitudes.

CHAPTER VI.

Facts tending to illustrate and prove the existence of a _mid-plane space_, situated between the concave and convex surfaces of the sphere.

CHAPTER VII.

Several objections, made to the Theory of Concentric Spheres, answered, particularly the one that it contravenes religious opinions; demonstrating that the earth, and the other orbs of the universe, are formed on the best possible plan for the maintenance and support of organic life.

CHAPTER VIII.

General observations on the Theory of Concentric Spheres, with a few suggestions to the Congress of the United States, to authorize and fit out an Expedition for the discovery of the Interior Regions; or, at least, to explore the northern parts of the continent of America.

CHAPTER IX.

A few brief suggestions, relative to the description, tonnage, and number of vessels, necessary to be equipped for a voyage of discovery to the interior regions of the earth; the number of men necessary to be employed on board, articles necessary for the outfit, and the probable expense attending the same; also, as to the route most proper to be pursued to accomplish the object of the expedition.

CHAPTER X.

A short Biographical sketch of Captain Symmes; with some observations on the treatment which he has met with in the advancement of his theory.

THE THEORY OF =CONCENTRIC SPHERES=.