CHAPTER III. 



THE HISTORY OF CREATION ACCORDING TO CUYIER 



AND AGASSIZ. 



General Theoretical Meaning of the Idea of Species. — Distinction between 

 the Theoretical and Practical Definition of the Idea of Species. — Cuvier's 

 Definition of Species. — Merits of Cuvier as the Founder of Comparative 

 Anatomy. — Distinction of the Fonr Principal Forms (types or branches) 

 of the Animal Kingdom, by Cuvier and Bar. — Cuvier's Services to 

 Palaeontology. — His Hypothesis of the Revolutions of our Globe, and the 

 Epochs of Creation separated by them. — Unknown Supernatural Causes 

 of the Kevolutions, and the subsequent New Creations. — Agassiz's 

 Teleological System of Nature. — His Conception of the Plan of Creation, 

 and its six Categories (groups in classification). — Agassiz's Views of the 

 Creation of Species. — Eude Conception of the Creator as a man-like 

 being in Agassiz's Hypothesis of Creation. — Its internal Inconsistency 

 and Contradictions with the important Palaeontological Laws discovered 

 by Agassiz. 



The real matter of dissension in the contest carried on 

 by naturalists as to the origin of organisms, their creation 

 and development, lies in the conceptions which are enter- 

 tained about the nature of species. Naturalists either 

 agree with Linnaeus, and look upon the different species 

 as distinct forms of creation, independent of one another, 

 or they assume with Darwin their blood-relationship. 

 If we share Linnaeus' view (which was discussed in our 

 last chapter), that the different organic species came into 

 existence independently — that they have no blood-relation- 



