M‘Sweeny, on the Climate of Ireland. 185 
in asserting that the climate there was such as is now hardly to be found in Lapland 
or Siberia. At present there grow, according to the accounts of travellers, olive 
trees, fig trees, bay trees, and most of these which grow in the south of Europe. 
Schow maintains, that a severe criticism will do away with a deal of these pretended 
changes. Herodotus says, that the Bosphorus freezes, over which the Scythians led 
their armies, and their waggons. Strabo speaks of the freezing of the sound, and 
adds, that it was reported thet Neoptolemus fought a battle with cavalry in winter, 
where in summer he had engaged in a sea-fight. 
But Pallas, who in modern times has described those regions, informs us that the 
Bosphorus, even in moderately severe winters, is covered with ice, principally drift 
ice from the river Don; and that in severe winters, loaded waggons are carried over 
it. It is thus at present as it was in former times. To these remarks, adduced by 
professor Schow, may be added the severity of the winter on the Danube, which inter- 
fered with the operations of the Russian army in the late war; and the London 
papers at the time, gave us accounts from Odessa, of the 3d of January, 1829, which 
stated, that the sea, as far as the eye could reach, was frozen, and that vessels were pre- 
vented from going out or coming in. 
Schow enumerates the fruits of these regions, described by the ancients, to prove 
that no material change has taken place. 
In treating of the climate of France, he observes, that we are informed by Strabo, 
that in Gallia Narbonnensis, the same fruits are found as in Italy, but that in going 
farther north, the olive tree, and fig tree disappear. In comparing Decandolle’s 
map to his Flore Francaise, the limit assigned by Strabo holds good, and it proves 
that the climate had not been colder formerly. 
The high authority of Professor Schow is here adduced, to prove that no change 
of great consequence has taken place in the climate of the continent of Europe, in 
the historical period ; it is, therefore, just to suppose, that during the same time, no 
very great change has taken place in the climate of Ireland ; but it is also reason- 
able to suppose, that it has been modified in some degree by draining and cultivation. 
In endeavouring to arrive at general conclusions, with regard to the climate of 
Ireland by analogical reasoning, the subject of the climate of England naturally sug- 
gests itself, for our investigation. It may be right here not to confine our attention 
to the historical period, but to endeavour to obtain some idea of the nature of the 
climate of England in antediluvian times. 
The fossil remains in England enable us to form an opinion on the subject ; not 
only in England but even in the northern parts of Europe, the remains of animals 
have been found, which prove that at some remote period, animals existed there in 
great numbers, which are now only to be met with in warm regions. In different 
parts of Europe also have been found the impressions of plants, so well defined, that 
they are easily ascertained to have been the produce of a very warm climate. Im- 
