REVIEWS. 
427 
ficrilielioii is asconding lliroiigli llic opposilo sif^us, IVoni llu; lii'si deforce of 
'isccs, ill cloven degrees forty-live niiiuiies of middk: south deeliiiaiiou, to tiic 
first degree of Taurus, in eleven degrees forty iniuutes of middle north declina- 
tion, through sixty degrees iu three thousand four hundred 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. Tiiis long period may aj)pcar as a misfortune, or 
eveu as a great evil, to man and other creatures, but we will show it evidently 
to be a real blessing and beueht 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 amjile com- 
pensation the Great Designer has bestowed on his creatures for the above 
comparatively short disturbing period of six thousand nine hundred aud 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 ume 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 overwhelming 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 hundi'cd and ninety-two years aud sis. 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 wUl now explain the periods of the motion of the perihelion through those 
sigus of repose, as before stated. These periods endure, first, while the peri- 
helion is passing through the four northern sigus, from the first degree of 
Taurus to the first degree of Virgo, both in eleven degi'ees forty-five minutes 
of middle north deeiiuatiou, extending through one hundred and twenty 
degrees in six thousand nine hundred and ninety-six years; and secondly, 
through the four southern sigus, from the first degree of Scorpio to the fii'st 
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 thii-teen thousand nine hundred aud 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 iu twenty thousand nine hundred and eighty-four years. 
"In considering this long comparative tranquility of thhteen thousand nine 
hundred and nmety-two years, we are reminded how often we have noticed, m 
perusing historical, astronomical, aud geological works, remarks by the authors, 
when referring to past ages, somewhat to the following effect, ' We cannot 
jicrceive that any material change has taken place from the earliest historical 
times, in the natural events that have occurred for the last three thousand 
