The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1878-03-03

forces Of the globe were far more intensely
active than we can conceive of from present
earthquakes and volcanoes. and when. by
the same hypothesis. the far greater
heat OF tho sun must have seriously
modified the conditions IL evaporation and
precipitation NJ moisture. DR.. Nicholson thrrc-
fore will not pronounce the fundamental princ-
pie Of catnstrophism wholly vicious. but con
ccdcs that there were pcrods--vcrv remote II
is true aud perhaps unregistered in geological
s,rntl--during which physical forces were
lrnuEht with an Intensity not 20 bc measured Ivy
the lata OF our direct observation. But he Will
not apply the term catnstrophistic" to the
great secular changes by which the glacial and
temperate cpochs for instance succeeded ono
another III tho Post-rloccnc ages for these
he thinks. were produced gradually and are
liable to rccur at definite intervals.
The concession above noted. however Is not
inconsistent with the authors ailIrmnnce TINT
for almost the whole durat ON Of geological
time the history of the earth has been history
Of lar. Whether the admitted impcriections Of
the chronological register are serious enough
to explain and excuse the deficiency Of direct
testimony for the theory Of evolution may be a
matter of Individual opinion. hut there is little
doubt in Dr. Nicholsons mind that they ARE SUI
| icicntly extensive to throw tho balance of evil
| dcnce decisiyely in favor Of sone theory ut
continuity H. opposed To any hypothesis Of in
tcrmit,cnt and occasional action. 1t may los
that we shall never be nblr TO point
| to n complete series Of deposits or Il
graduated succession Of life linking one great
geological period 10 another Yet according to-
Dr. Nicholson. the assurance is pressed upon
us 10y convergent proof andby analogy that such
deposits and such an unbrokcn succession must
| have tx stcd mt one time We are forced To- be-
| lievc that nowhere. at all events. in the lon.
series ot iUssilicruus rocks has there been
| total fracture. hut that there must have been a
perfect continuity OF lite and Il more or less per-
feet continuity OF sedimcniation from the I.au-
rentian epoch TO the present day. Under
! this view. OF course. we must account
the apparent breaks which divide the
great procession OF the etratined rocks into
number OF isolated formations the marks
OF mighty and general commissions OF nature. bu,
simply the indications OF gUu- IN humnn
knowledge SO far unbridecd perhaps unhridg-
able. In the present state OF our knowledge no
cautious student would Put forth a dogmatc or
positive opinion rs to the precise sequence Of
living forms upon the globe. much less III To- tho
manner In which this sequence may have been
brought about. But what. we may ask. are the
general deductions from unquestioned facts
which n somewhat conservative man Of science
like DR.. Nicholson regards as certainly estab
lished,
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