Prof. Tait on Geological Time

Abstract

As I have lately found, under the signature of Prof. Tait, in the well-known Révue Scientifique, several statements that would doubtless have been challenged had they appeared in any English scientific journal, and of which the following are specimens:— “Sir W. Thomson has already demonstrated, by three complete and independent physical proofs, the impossibility of admitting the existence of such periods”— “Each one (of Sir W. Thomson's arguments) would suffice to upset at once the pretensions of Lyell and Darwin”— “Professor Huxley's attempt has completely failed;” and as in the new edition of Juke's Geology Sir W. Thomson's demonstration is stated at some length, while an adverse argument used by Jukes is omitted, I venture to ask that you will allow me a few words on the subject, since I treated the matter at length two years ago in Scientific Opinion, and, so far as I am aware, my arguments remained unanswered.