43*2 ON THE GEOLOGICAL RELATIONS 



evidence respecting the most antient races, of what- 

 ever nature, can prove nothing; and there may have been 

 equivalent creations, or an equivalent creation, during 

 every condition of the globe. It is probable that there 

 was a creation more early than the earliest primary 

 strata, but it does not appear to have been so abun- 

 dant, while the real criterion lies in the limestones- 

 There is no reason to infer a progressive creation 

 during a period of repose, and there is reason to infer 

 renewed ones ; though there is none for concluding 

 that such new one entirely differed from any former 

 or the next preceding one. There are evidences of 

 revolutions so general as to have, probably destroyed 

 all living beings; but there are also evidences of 

 partial ones, of which the effect, on these, was also 

 but partial. And this is particularly true of the last 

 of all. Lastly, there is no proof of a progressive 

 improvement of organizations, because the only evi- 

 dence is negative. 



Of supposed Changes of Climate in the Earth. 



Geologists have thought fit to suppose that the 

 temperature of the Earth had undergone changes 

 since its more antient periods, or that the climates 

 had been interchanged during its progress ; and they 

 have founded this opinion on resemblances between 

 the organic fossils of cold climates and the existing 

 organized bodies of warm ones. The question as to 

 the fact depends therefore on the value of the evi- 

 dence; and I hope to prove that it is worthless. 



If the plants of the coal strata resemble living in- 

 tertropical ones, and this be judged evidence of an 

 interchange of climate, it ought reversely to be shown, 

 that the fossils of the hot climates resemble the living 

 species of the cold ones; which has not been done. 



