28 RELATIONS OF GEOLOGY 



latitudes of Asia and America, as elephants are 

 now within the tropics. The conclusion is there- 

 fore undeniable, that a warm climate once pre- 

 vailed in the arctic regions, and, perhaps, at| 

 several distant periods of time. Nor is it pos- 

 sible to account for such a state of things without 

 supposing that in the progress of long geological 

 epochs, the inclination of the earth's axis has 

 undergone very great changes. 



That this inclination is now actually diminish- 

 ing at the rate of one minute in 126^ years, is ad- 

 mitted by all astronomers. It therefore follows, 

 that if it should go on decreasing in the same 

 ratio, without any oscillations or retrogradations, 

 it would wholly vanish in about 177,760 years, 

 when the sun would shine upon every part of the 

 earth with nearly the same force, and produce a 

 grand physical millenium,*or what may be termed 



* In the tenth book of the sublimest song in our language, 

 Milton represents the earth as enjoying this happy exemption 

 from winter, before the fall of man : after which, the Creator 



" Bid his angels turn askance 

 The poles of earth twice ten degrees and more : 

 ***** to bring in change 

 Of seasons to each clime ; else had the spring 

 Perpetual smiled on earth with verdant flowers. 

 These changes in the heavens, though slow, produced 

 Like change on sea and land. * * * * 

 Beast now with beast 'gan war, and fowl with fowl, 

 And fish with fish ; to graze the herb all leaving, 

 Devoured each other/' ***** 



