NOTES. 125 
luminous hydrogen has increased the brilliancy of a star from the 
ninth to the second magnitude, and its comparatively slow return 
to its former condition. 
It appears to me that herein we strike the key-note of the causes 
at work to solve our problem of short or long periods of varying 
climate upon the earth. If the above phenomenon is possible in 
one sun, it is possible in every one of the millions of millions of 
suns around us; and of course in ours. That such an eruption 
‘of burning hydrogen affects the planets revolving around that 
sun, we can not for one instant doubt. To our instruments it was 
an exhibition of force lasting but a few months, and its effect upon 
probable planets around that sun we can never know. Doubtless 
all new stars that have suddenly appeared with great. brilliancy 
were the exhibitions of similar forces. If such forces are possible 
for short periods, they are possible, and to my mind more probable, 
for comparatively long periods. In our sun the forces are appar- 
ently evolved in irregular, and also in moderately regular periods 
or cycles, and must have an influence upon the general climate of 
the earth and of the other planets. Even in this year of excep- 
tional heat over the earth, we have the results of the spectroscope, 
revealing an unusual development of incandescent magnesium over 
the sun’s surface. 
If these forces of the sun exhibit themselves in short and long 
periods, we can comprehend how periods of almost universal flood, 
of earthquake and voleanic action, of a climate to develop a súb- 
tropical fauna and flora, even within the Arctic Circle; of a great 
ice-sheet spreading from each pole, over the land, toward and 
even embracing the Equator, may be not only probable, but place 
the latter two in full accord with the astronomical dictum, that no 
violent change of the direction of the earth’s axis is admissible. 
The spectroscope is the present means of gathering observations 
to test my suggestion, or to develop the law underlying these 
changes ; and as we observe the exhibitions of the forces upon the 
surface of our sun, and note the effect upon the earth, we can also 
watch the changes upon Mars and the other near planets. But we 
cannot hope to determine the law of connection within a short 
time, unless some wonderful event happened in our sun similar to 
the sudden outburst of luminous hydrogen in the star in the 
Northern Crown, to show us in an hour the effect such great 
Cosmical changes have upon the earth and other planets of our 
