1 8 THE HISTORY OF CREATION. 



compare all the ideas of tlie universe prevalent among 

 different nations at different times, we can divide them 

 all into two sharply contrasted groups — a causal or rtie- 

 chanical, and a teleological or vitalistic. The latter has pre- 

 vailed generally in Biology until now, and accordingly the 

 animal and vegetable kingdoms have been considered as 

 the products of a creative power, acting for a definite pur- 

 pose. In the contemplation of every organism the unavoid- 

 able conviction seemed to press itself upon us, that such a 

 wonderful machine, so complicated an apparatus for motion 

 as exists in the organism, could only be produced by a 

 power analogous to, but infinitely more perfect than, the 

 power of man in the construction of his machines. 



However sublime the former idea of a Creator, and his 

 creative power, may have been ; however much it may be 

 attempted to divest it of all human analogy, yet in the end 

 this analogy still remains unavoidable and necessary in the 

 teleological conception of natui^e. In reality the Creator 

 must himself be conceived of as an organism, that is, as a 

 being who, analogous to man, even though in an infinitely 

 more perfect form, reflects on his constructive power, lays 

 down a plan of his mechanisms, and then, by the application 

 of suitable materials, makes them answer their purpose. 

 Such conceptions necessarily suffer from the fundamental 

 error of anthropomorphism, or man-likening. In such a 

 view, however exalted the Creator may be imagined, we 

 assigTi to him the human attributes of designing a plan, 

 and therefrom suitably constructing the organism. This is, 

 in fact, quite clearly expressed in that view which is most 

 sharply opposed to Darwin's theory, and which has found 

 among naturalists its most disting-uished representative in 



