22 



axis first to one side and, then to the other, and thereby 

 describes a conical figure in the air, or the figure of a 

 funnel, opening out at an angle of 47 degrees. 



This it would seem sufficiently explains the ecliptic. We 

 have only to divide the cone of 47 degrees in half, and 

 we obtain in result the movement of the earth's axis- 

 on either side of the centre of the cone, 23 l / 2 degress 

 that is almost exactly the eclectic of our sun arising from 

 the rolling of the earth. 



The third analogy supplied by animal organism is the 

 function of breath. Where the world's mouth is we do 

 not know, but that the earth does breathe regularly 

 twice daily we do know. This breath expresses itself 

 in the flood tide and the ebb tide of the sea. 



Physical geography explains the tides by the attraction- 

 of the sun and moon, but if this attraction was really 

 the cause of these phenomena then the tides all over the 

 globe would be of uniform power, whereas, in fact, the 

 northern and southern seas are almost tideless, while 

 the tides in tropical countries reach an enormous height*). 



If we admit that sun and moon exercise an equal in- 

 fluence on the sea, then the tides must be not uniform 

 but must correspond to the zenith of those luminaries ; 

 but we see on the contrary that the tides occupy accu- 

 rately six hours. Finally if the sun and moon possess 

 this power over the water they must have a similar po- 

 wer over the earth. If the hard ground does not re- 

 spond to this attraction from its firmness and cohesive- 

 ness, at least the dry disintegrated sands of such de- 

 serts as the "Gobi" and "Sahara" would rise say a few 

 feet, say a single yard, say even an inch or two. But 

 such a movement, or even any tendency to it, has never 

 been observed, and the only conclusion to which we 

 can possibly come, regarding the tides is, that the earth 

 is breathing, and that during this process the parts of 

 the organism agitated by it advance upon and recede: 

 from those parts which remain unmoved. 



l ) 56 feet. 



