Divisions of Time. 3 



to the north pole P about the 21st of June, and 

 consequently he will be immediately over the 

 point H in the tropic of Cancer, and all the places 

 of the earth situated under the parallel G H will 

 pass in their diurnal revolution directly under the 

 sun. Six months after, the earth will be found 

 on the other side of the sun in the point t of her 

 orbit, diametrically opposite to the point T. 

 Suppose then (which nearly takes place) that the 

 axis p a is parallel to the axis P A, so as to point 

 exactly to the same part of the heavens to which 

 it pointed six months before. Now it is evident 

 that the terminator M N, or m ra, (drawn at right 

 angles to 1 1) will divide the parallels to the equa- 

 tor or the circles of daily motion into unequal 

 parts those on the same side of the equator with 

 the sun having a greater portion within the illu- 

 mined than within the dark hemisphere. All the 

 countries of the earth, therefore, which lie on this 

 side of the equator will employ a longer portion 

 of the diurnal rotation in passing through the il- 

 luminated than through the darkened parts of 

 their respective parallels, and will, therefore, have 

 their days longer than their nights, and of course 

 enjoy summer. On the contrary, all the coun- 

 tries on the other side of the equator, having a 

 greater portion of their parallels included within 

 the dark than the illumined hemisphere, must 

 occupy a longer time in passing through those 

 dark parts, and have their nights longer than 

 their days ; consequently it will be their winter. 



B 2 



