266 CLIMATIC CONDITIONS OF THE GLACIAL EPOCH. 



temperature thioughout the earth, and that such an assum^^tioa increases 

 rather than lessens the difficulties of the glacial problems, we shall be 

 justified in adhering to the views which have been brought forward and 

 upheld in the ^ireceding chapter. This we hope to be able to do, to the 

 satisfoction of all candid minds ; and we expect to make it evident that the 

 subject of the climatic relations of the Glacial epoch has been misunderstood,. 

 or else its difficulties quite ignored, b^y most of those who have written on 

 the geology of the period in question. This adherence to our previously 

 expressed views will be j)roper and justifiable, even if in the course of the 

 discussion it should be made apparent that there are points in regard to 

 which no satisfactory explanation can be olfered, provided it can be shown 

 that other and still greater difficulties are forced upon us by the adoption of 

 refrigeration as the sole or principal cause of the phenomena of the Glacial 

 epoch. 



If, in the discussion on which we are about to enter, we call upon the 

 reader to admit that in dealing with this subject problems present them- 

 selves for whicli no satisfactory solutions can be found, it may be con- 

 sidered very unsatisfactory, but it will by no means l)e a new thing in 

 geological science. In the opinion of the writer it has been too much the 

 custom among geologists to overlook the theoretical difficulties which are 

 encountered in the carefid study of almost any phase of the past history of 

 the globe. The general adoption of Lyellian views makes things pleasant 

 for the superficial inquirer ; but it is quite time that it began to be more 

 fully recognized that " uniformitarianism " is but little better than a delu- 

 sion, and that at no previous epoch in the world's geological history has the 

 course of events been exactly the same as they were previous to that time 

 or as they will be in the future. A logical carrying out of L^yell's ideas 

 would oblige us to admit that the changes now taking 25lace in the sun are 

 the same as those with which the moon presents us. It is true that the 

 laws of matter and force remain constant through all the ages; but the 

 manner in which tliev work together to bring about o;oolo"ical results has 

 vai'ied enormously with the earth's changing conditions, and especially those 

 connected with temjjerature, and they will continue to vary until this planet 

 in its refrigeration has attained the lowest point rendered possible by the 

 nature of surrounding space. 



It cannot be too strongly impressed on the student, as well as on the 

 practical worker in geology, that while tlie collection of facts is compara- 



