124 NOTES TO THE 



tion of time, and the cooperation of physical and 

 mechanical forces, but ^ He spake, and it was done.' 



" But since that first act of creating power, we 

 see that these creatures are propagated and perfect- 

 ed by processes more gradual, successive, and ope- 

 rose, many of which can be successfully traced by 

 human wisdom, and admit of being regulated, fur- 

 thered and controlled by the interference of human 

 culture and ability." Christian Observer, vol. 

 xiv. p. .^74. But it is said there are hard cases 

 in the natural history of worms and insects ; it is 

 true there are, but none of these are so hard as the de- 

 fence of the device which is set up for their solution. 



These cases are already greatly diminished in 

 number, and the remaining difficulties are vanishing 

 exactly in proportion to our increasing acquaintance 

 with the forms, laws and operations of animated 

 nature ; and our progress in tiiese sciences will at 

 all times be accelerated by acknowledging the ex- 

 isting limits of our information, rather than by as- 

 signing false causes for known phenomena. 



It is more fair and promising to admonish the 

 student of nature of his descent into the twilight of 

 doubt, or the darkness of ignorance, than to pre- 

 tend to direct him where he cannot be guided in 

 safety. Thus placed on his guard, if he cannot 

 open a clear path for others^ he w'ill at least be 

 more likely so to feel his way as to able to retrace 

 his steps to the point whence he started, and thus 

 avoid the risk of being lost himself, as well as the 

 hazard of misleading his followers. 



