ivhich' tale place In different Cl'imilc'S, ^4^ 



Pitleftine, the Roman part of Africa, and Spain, is at prefent 

 remarkably flony, and burnt up with heat. We, however, 

 know, that Spain in particular, about 1800 years ago, was 

 exceedingly rich and fruitful, and abounded with all forts of 

 provifions, which are no longer to be found in it *. It apj 

 pears to me unnecelfary to produce more proofs, as the 

 change of the foil and fertility in all the countries bordering 

 on the Mediterranean Sea, and which formed the richeft 

 and moft beautiful part of the Roman empire, is admitted as 

 ^ certain faft by all thofe who have fpoken of their former 

 and prefent Hate. 



It is therefore beyond a doubt, that the foil and tempera- 

 ture of all the lands from Spain to India, and from the 

 ridge of Mount Atlas to Laplai;d and the remote parts of 

 the north, have in the courfe of ages, fince the period of the 

 oldeft hiftorical monuments Hill extant to the prefent time, 

 been gradually fubjeftcd to a complete change, from the 

 iitmoH degree of moifture and cold, to a great degree of drs'^- 

 nefo and warmth. An etfecl fo continued and uniform mult 

 Ipve fome caufc, which is equally fo itfelf. 



Dr. Williamfon afferts, that the climate of America is 

 becoming continually milder; And he confirms it by a num- 

 ber of fatls. This eftcL-t is direoily contrary to the hypo- 

 thefis of a celebrated naturalill refpecling the theory of the 

 earth and the planets, who alTcrts, that they have been con- 

 tinually lofing warmth fuice they were fir(t in a ftate of fu- 

 Jion, and are becoming always colder; fo that they will at 

 length be incapable of keeping alive any animal or vege- 

 table production t. All hiftorical and phyfigal monuments, 

 however, prove the contrary. 



* The diftrifts in the neighbourhood of Toledo are deniiiitc of trees, 

 en which .iciount tiie heat in liminier is unrupportable, and wood in \v\m- 

 Tcr cxcccdiiij^ly dear. When Martial wrote the foliowiiii: lines, Uic lO-Jii- 

 ;ry inuft certainly h:.vc been in a vexy dilfcrcnt tlate : 

 -I'LHas fercnus aureo fringes Tago 

 Obfcurus utnbrijj arboru,iu. 

 t T?ii5 wa^ the opinion of Buflon. Em. 



' If: 



