The movement of
the series becomes no longer a cycle, but spiral, and convergent or
divergent at a greater or less rate according to circumstances.
We cannot conceive of all the atoms in the universe standing twice over
in absolutely the same relation each one of them to every other. There
are too many of them, and they are too much mixed; but, as has been just
said, in the planets and their satellites we do see large groups of atoms
whose movements recur with some approach to precision. The same holds
good also with certain comets and with the sun himself. The result is
that our days and nights and seasons follow one another with nearly
perfect regularity from year to year, and have done so for as long time
as we know anything for certain. A vast preponderance of all the action
that takes place around us is cyclical action. Within the great cycle of
the planetary revolution of our own earth, and as a consequence thereof,
we have the minor cycle of the seasons; these generate atmospheric
cycles. Water is evaporated from the ocean and conveyed to
mountain-ranges, where it is cooled, and whence it returns again to the
sea. This cycle of events is being repeated again and again with little
appreciable variation. The tides, and winds in certain latitudes, go
round and round the world with what amounts to continuous regularity.
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