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On the Cosmogony of Moses. 348 
rendered fit for the reception of beings of a more, perfect cha- 
racter than vegetables, or those motionless concretions of ani- 
mated matter, zodphytes and testacea. 
5. In the fifth period aquatic locomotive animals were pro- 
duced, the waters being now sufficiently purified for their re- 
ception. Dr. Prichard has well observed, that locomotion is the 
precise meaning of the Hebrew word used to distinguish this 
class of organized beings. It is not a little remarkable that to 
this period Moses assigns the production of birds. “Though they 
are by internal organization constituted for living in air, their 
locomotive powers certainly haye a nearer relation to those of 
fishes than to the powers of locomotion in land animals. Au- 
other reason, besides the perishable nature of their bones, may 
be assigned for their remains being so rarely found; viz. they 
are better provided with the means of escape from sudden inun- 
dations than land animals, or even fishes, in certain situations. 
Moses notices a class of aquatic animals, in the productions of 
this period, which our translators have rendered ‘ great whales ;’ 
but literally the phrase ought to be ‘ great monsters ;’ which will 
include not only existing crocodiles, hippopotami, &c. but also 
those large marine animals found in different parts of this country 
as well as upon the continent, embedded in the lyas or argil- 
laceous limestone, and, until very lately, erroneously supposed 
to be crocodiles. . 
6. The various species of land reptiles and quadrupeds were 
produced early on the sixth day. 
7. Every thing being thus prepared for their reception, the 
rational species is lastly formed; and the whole ceconomy of 
nature being pronounced ‘ very good,’ man is invested by the 
Creator with dominion over all the inferior creatures. 
It is with reluctance that I remark upon what Dr. Prichard 
has advanced, p. 259 of your last number. In defending Moses 
as an inspired writer, he says that the Egyptians were possessed 
of “the most authentic documents that existed concerning the 
history of the world.’’ An opinion which he assumes on the 
authority of Michaelis, who embraces the hypothesis of Mar- 
sham in his Rule of Times, —** that Moses framed his code of laws 
by combining the ancient usages of the nomadic Hebrews with 
the institutions of the agricultural Egyptians.””? Now, however 
well calculated the hypothesis may be for displaying the learning 
of the German professor, his erudition is of no weight, when 
put in the scale against the plain and positive language of Scrip- 
ture; Lev. chap. xviii. ver. 3-4, {After the doings of the 
land of Egypt wherein ye dwelt, shall ye not do: neither shall ye 
walk in their ordinances, Ye shall do my judgements, and keep 
mine ordinances, to walk therein: I am Jehovah your God,’ 
Y4 Whatever 
