Rejections on the Noachian Deluge. 13 



plicit with that of Moses, that prior to this event, the creative 

 power of (lie Deity modified and gave immediate impulse, to 

 such of the chemical or mechanical laws, as were then in opera- 

 tion, in framing or changing the appearances of the Earth. 



The truly laconic description in the first verse of Genesis, ap- 

 pears to mt, as it seems also to have done to Professor Buckland, 

 to refer to the complete formation of the Earth, including the 

 creation of the myriads of living Beings which existed, between 

 the successive creations of the Matter, composing the Strata 

 which inhume them ; of the subsequent account by Moses, of 

 the creation of Animals and Plants, to people the surface of the 

 Earth (already formed as at present, by long exposure to the 

 elements, fitted to receive them) nothing therein contained, seems 

 capable of contradiction, or having doubt thrown upon it, by 

 any facts which tlie Geologist is al)le to adduce: nor have they, 

 of late, shown anv disposition to attempt the same. 



The Noachian Deluge, according to Moses' description (and in 

 accordance with its advance) retired from the surface oJthe Land, 

 by very slow degrees, and in the most quiet manner, and so must 

 have eitlier left the Bones of Men and their contemporary Animals 

 (and such parts of their adhering Flesh, as the Fish and aquatic 

 Animals had not devoured, during the stay of the Waters) lieing 

 upon the very surface of the Ground, or else these retiring Waters, 

 must have borne these mangled Remains, along with them down 

 into the Ocean; in either case, as theseRemains, of Man in parti- 

 cular, were not buried, ov the Wood and otber light matters, or any 

 oftheUtensils or Buildings which the antediluvian Men had in use, a 

 verv few vears of perfect exposure of these to the Elements, would 

 moulder and decay the greater part, and no considerable lapse 

 of Time, would witness the entire disappearance of these marks 

 of the antediluvian Inhabitants, who are mentioned l)y Moses : 

 excepting any of their hewn Stones, Bricks or other permanent 

 Works ; which, if any such existed, they must very long ago have 

 been undistinguishal)Ie, from the works of the descendants of 

 Noah. 



The Geologists are therefore without any facts, and the rational 

 part of them without the wish to possess any such, wliich would 

 clash with or call in ([uestion, any part of the account of the 

 Noachian Deluge, as descrOjed by Moses: of late, they have judi- 

 ciously ceased from alluding tothisDelugein theirWorks,and thus 

 left it to the Priests, to promulgate and support the history of this 

 ETent,and its causes and consequences, on their only true grounds, 

 those oi revelation and the writings of Moses, and of other early 

 historians: and I cannot therefore conclude, without again lament- 

 ing, that the Reverend Professor, should ha-vc (piitted this, his own 

 proper and strong ground, to enter the lists with Geologist*, on 



tliis 



