CLIMATES. 57 



might be perpetually changing its composition by 

 the condensation of some of its constituent gases. 

 In the operations of the elements, all would be 

 incessant and rapid change, without recurrence 

 or compensation. We cannot say that organized 

 beings could not be fitted for such a habitation ; 

 but if they were, the adaptation must be made 

 by means of a constitution quite different from 

 that of almost all organized beings known to us. 

 The state of things upon the earth, in its pre- 

 sent condition, is very different from both these 

 suppositions. The climate of the same place, 

 notwithstanding perpetual and apparently ir- 

 regular change, possesses a remarkable steadi- 

 ness. And, though in different places the annual 

 succession of appearances in the earth and 

 heavens, is, in some of its main characters, the 

 same, the result of these influences in the 

 average climate is very different. 



Now, to this remarkable constitution of the 

 earth as to climate, the constitution of the ani- 

 mal and vegetable world is precisely adapted. 

 The differences of different climates are provided 

 for by the existence of entirely different classes 

 of plants and animals in different countries. The 

 constancy of climate at the same place is a 

 necessary condition of the prosperity of each 

 species there fixed. 



We shall illustrate by a few details, these 

 characteristics in the constitution of inorganic 



