Book excerpt: In The Order of the Ages, Robert Bolton explains the principles that relate the modern world to earlier ages, and the position of our own era in a universal time-cycle, revealing the essential nature of time. He shows that time imposes patterns of its own on the order of events, which reveal themselves by numerical regularities. By means of a Platonic view of creation--which connects temporal with non-temporal realities--we come to see how man's inner life holds the balance between these two kinds of objective reality. Connections are made between metaphysical ideas of time and the scientific idea of entropy, along with its varied applications. The last two thousand years are analyzed numerically in terms of traditional cosmology, making possible the calculation of our present position in a universal era, together with the time within which this era will come to an end. Finally, there is a review of the possibility that this ending may coincide with what Christian tradition calls the Last Times, and what the implications of this would be for current values and religious beliefs. "Christian Platonism has a long and distinguished history, but few orthodox Catholics have tried to make a serious contribution to this tradition in recent times. Robert Bolton's extraordinary book is just such an achievement. Influenced by René Guénon's The Reign of Quantity and the Signs of the Times, and respectful of Tradition, this is a work of great creativity as well as metaphysical intelligence."--STRATFORD CALDECOTT, author of The Radiance of Being "Time, like beauty, is one of the foremost mysteries of human experience. Here Robert Bolton has made a deliberate and courageous effort to confront the nature of time. It is like a breath of fresh air to see such care taken to present what can authentically be called the traditional view. 'Recurrence' and 'Never Again' are the poles of this mystery, so well and ably covered in this book. Essential reading for the serious seeker."--KEITH CRITCHLOW, author of The Hidden Geometry of Flowers "How, when, and why did the world begin? And how will it end? Or is there no ending or beginning? What part does mind play in creation? Are we and the universe programed toward a certain end? All that can honestly be given in response to such questions is an introduction to that constant and recurrent world-view which this book uniquely provides."--JOHN MICHELL, author of The Dimensions of Paradise