Exceptional Seasons [December, 
Were such the case neither this world nor indeed any 
world could, for any length of time, supply materials for the 
frames of its organic population, or even room for them to 
occupy. Reproduction involves death as its necessary con- 
dition. Hence we are told that in the life to come mankind 
shall “ neither marry nor be given in marriage.” That in 
the present state of things the longest-lived animals arrive 
most slowly at maturity, and produce the fewest young at a 
birth, is almost a trite remark. 
Thus, with the exception of the milder climate once 
doubtless possessed by our globe, the other features of the 
golden age are such as never could have existed, and may 
even in most cases be pronounced mutually contradictory. 
The origin of such traditions of the past, or anticipations of 
the future, is easily explained, if, as above said, they are 
idealised memories of the Miocene days. But that man 
actually existed in that epoch, and existed in a condition so 
far advanced as to hand down and to idealise legends, is 
utterly unproven. If our species is of more recent develop- 
ment, these stories of a better world do but reflect the 
unsatisfied longings of all generations. 
III. EXCEPTIONAL SEASONS AND WEATHER 
PROPHECIES* 
OME time ago we were led, by the sunless summer of 
1879, to discuss the well-known theory which traces 
^ a connection between weather-cycles and the period- 
icity of the sun-spots — a term of rather more than ten 
years. Whilst unable to accept this hypothesis, neither did 
we see our way to its definite rejection. In speaking of the 
lack of heat which characterised that summer we fell, how- 
ever into an error which we are anxious to rectify. We 
ascribed the visitation which has brought ruin upon so many 
of our farmers, and has occasioned in the United Kingdom 
alone a loss for which a hundred millions of money would 
very poorly compensate to a predominance of the polar 
current. Such was not the case. The perplexing feature in 
« “ The Anomalous Season.” Journal of Science, July, 1879, p. 457- 
