"The sediments of the past are many miles in collective thickness: yet the feeble silt of the rivers built them all from base to summit"

This quote by John Joly speaks with the power of time and the natural forces of the world. He is suggesting that the sediments of the past, which are numerous miles thick, were all developed from the bottom to the top by the little particles of silt that are carried by rivers. This is a pointer of the immense power of nature and the sluggish but constant progress of time. It is a reminder that even the smallest of things can have a big impact over time. It is likewise a tip that the past is always with us, and that the sedimentary layers of the earth are a testimony to the power of time and the natural forces of the world. This quote is a tip to value the power of nature and the sluggish but stable progress of time.