REVIEWS. 



427 



perihelion is ascending through the opposite signs, from the first degree of 

 Pisces, in eleven degrees forty-five minutes of middle south declination, to the 

 first degree of Taurus, in eleven degrees forty minutes of middle north declina- ' 

 tion, through sixty degrees in three thousand four hundi-ed and ninety-eight 

 years. 



"These two portions of the ecliptic amount to one hundred and twenty 

 degrees in a period of six thousand nine hundred and ninety-six years, which 

 may be strictly termed periods of disturbance and submergence of lands alter- 

 nately in both hemispheres. Tliis long period may appear as a misfortune, or 

 even as a great evil, to man and other creatures, but we will show it evidently 

 to be a real blessing and benefit bestowed by the Giver of all Good on his 

 creatures. 



" We have given a brief view of the two disturbing periods of three thousand 

 four hundred and ninety-eight years of the ascending and descending signs, 

 both north and south ; we shall now endeavour to show what an ample com- 

 pensation the Great Designer has bestowed on his creatures for the above 

 comparatively short disturbing period of six thousand nine hundred and ninety- 

 six years. A double amount of tranquility is given ; no less than two hundred 

 and forty degrees of comparatively tranquil motion of the perihelion in thirteen 

 thousand nine hundred and ninety-two years round the remainder of the ecliptic, 

 and free from any great catastrophe such as happened at the disturbing signs. 

 How can we, but with the most grateful hearts, praise and thank our Creator 

 for such a disparity in the order of His designs, so that it may benefit His 

 creatures ? We cannot but acknowledge this as a great boon and blessing 

 when we take into consideration how the overwlielming ocean remodels and 

 fertilizes these new lands ; seeing, indeed, that we are already necessitated to 

 ransack every part of the world for suitable manure, in order to prevent the 

 utter exhaustion of the soil now under constant cultivation. Therefore, we 

 ought rather to rejoice than bewail at these periodic catastrophes, which are 

 more of a benefit than otherwise. We shall find we are highly compensated by 

 a long period of tranquil repose, when we consider the difference between 

 thirteen thousand nine hundred and ninety-two years and six thousand nine 

 hundred and ninety-six years. 



" We have given the time and place when and where the ocean is disturbed, 

 enduring from first to last six thousand nine hundred and ninety-six years. 

 We will now explain the periods of the motion of the perihelion tlirough those 

 signs of repose, as before stated. These periods endure, first, while the peri- 

 hel ion is passing through the four northern signs, from the first degree of 

 Taurus to the first degree of Yirgo, both in eleven degrees forty-five minutes 

 of middle north declination, extending through one hundred and twenty 

 degrees in six thousand nine hundred and ninety-six years ; and secondly, 

 through the four southern signs, from the first degree of Scorpio to the first 

 degree of Pisces, both in eleven degrees forty-five minutes of middle south 

 declination, through one hundred and twenty degrees in six thousand nine hun- 

 dred and ninety-six years, and thus completing a period of comparative tran- 

 quility of thirteen thousand nine hundred and ninety-two years, through 

 two hundred and forty degrees of the ecliptic ; the two periods together give 

 the whole revolution of the perihelion of three hundred and sixty degrees 

 round the ecliptic in twenty thousand nine hundred and eighty-four years. 



"In considering this long comparative tranquility of thirteen thousand nine 

 hundred and ninety-tM^o years, we are reminded how often we have noticed, in 

 perusing historical', astronomical, and geological works, remarks by the authors, 

 when referring to past ages, somewhat to the following effect, ' We cannot 

 perceive that any material change has taken place from the earliest historical 

 times, in the natural events that have occurred for the last three thousand 



