CONTENTS. 



Page 

 Art. I. On the Thermometrical State of tlie Terrestrial Globe. 



ByM. Arago, - - - - 205 



I. At the origin of all things the Earth was probably in- 

 candescent; and even now contains a large por- 

 tion of its primitive heat, - - 206 

 II. The Earth, then, was at one timeiluia, - ib 



III. Is there any means of determining for how many cen- 



turies the Earth has been cooling down ? - 208 



IV. In two thousand years, the general temperature of the 



mass of the Earth has not varied the tenth part of a 

 degree. The demonstration of this proposition is 

 derived from the Orbit of the Moon, - ib. 



V. Does the original heat of .the globe, still so apparent 

 at a certain depth, contribute, in a marked manner, 

 to the actual temperature of the surface ? 216 



"VI. Is the Temperature of celestial space variable ? And 

 can this temperature become the cause of chants 

 in terrestrial climates ? - - 217 



VII. Can the variations which certain astronomical elements 



undergo, sensibly modify terrestrial climates ? 219 



Vill. Of Terrestrial Chmates, as they may be known from 



Observations made in different Ages, - 222 



IX. The Mean Temperature of Palestine does not appear 



to have changed since the time of Moses, 224 



X. Of the Climate of Europe in Ancient Times, 227 



.XI. Certain parts of Europe were not colder formerly than 



they are now, - - - 233 



.XI I. Certain parts of Europe were not formerly hotter j 



than they are at present, - - ib. 



XIII. Of the Climate in the neighbourhood of Rome, ib. 



XIV. Change of the Climate of Tuscany, - 236 

 XV. On Changes in the Climate of France, - 237 



XVI. Coi\jectural causes of the increasing Coldness of the 



Summers of France and England, - 240 . 



