334 
Scepticism in Geology . 
[June, 
our present knowledge of the surface of our satellite, hold 
in general one view as to the present condition of the lunar 
surface, astronomers as a body hold a different opinion. 
To take a striking example : scarcely any astronomer known 
to have devoted time to the study of selenography doubts 
that many processes of adtual lunar change are in progress, 
and it is doubtful if there is one who could not promptly 
instance one or more such cases. Yet the general opinion 
of astronomers appears to be against any such physical 
changes having occurred.” 
Extensive changes in the Moon suggest something of the 
nature of life, or vital adtion, and are therefore inconsistent 
with the mechanical view of the universe. Even scientists, 
though professing to be philosophers, do not easily believe 
disagreeable truths. More than twenty years ago, in a book 
entitled “ The Earth we Inhabit,” Captain Drayson showed 
that, whenever a base line had been measured a second time 
after a considerable lapse of years, the later measurements 
did not agree with the earlier, but were greater in every case. 
I am not aware that his statement has ever been contra- 
dicted, but astronomers still keep telling us that the Earth 
is contracting ! Whenever the distance of the Earth from 
the Sun has been measured in connection with the transit of 
Venus, the latest measurement has always shown an in- 
creased distance between the two bodies ; yet astronomers 
still insist that, instead of receding from, the Earth is 
advancing towards, the Sun 1 Mr. Neison need not, there- 
fore, be surprised that astronomers refuse to recognise the 
faCts which are vouched for by selenographers to establish 
the physical changes which are taking place in the Moon. 
I gather from his article that appearances have been disco- 
vered which suggest the probable existence of obscure pro- 
cesses of vegetation, but that its surface — which is in a more 
plastic, and therefore more changeable, condition than that 
of the Earth — consists largely of gloomy valleys (or “craters” 
and sterile mountains. The lesson is simple if my view of 
planetary creation is accepted. The Moon is an off-shoot of 
the Earth by natural processes still in operation, as the latter 
is an off-shoot of the Sun ; and the Moon’s present condition 
may be supposed to represent that of the Earth in the ear- 
liest stages of its history, when vegetation and sedimentary 
deposits, if any, had a very limited existence. 
The planets Venus and Mercury, being nearer to the Sun, 
and therefore, according to my theory, correspondingly later 
in the order of creation than the Earth, will also illustrate 
its condition in remote ages. In consequence, however, of 
