on the Classification of the European Rocks. 193 



were not peopled previous to the diluvlan epoch. As yet I have 

 supposed Mr. De la Beche to be reasoning purely in a geolo- 

 gical sense, without any reference to the Mosaic account of 

 our globe. But taking this into consideration (and I should 

 hope that Mr. De la Beche is willing to consider it as an in- 

 spired writing), is it proper, I would ask, in a country like this, 

 merely to admit, and that with considerable difficulty, that 

 there is no reason why man should not have lived previous to 

 the diluvial period, and conclude by saying that the mass of 

 evidence is at present against it? evidence purely negative, 

 gnd scarcely able to bear sifting. — On the Continent things are 

 in such a state, that before long I have no doubt man will be 

 admitted among the number of animals found fossil ; and even 

 incur own island, appearances have shown the probability ofthe 

 occurrence of human bones; for in the neighbourhood of our 

 most extensive bone-cavern, that at Torquay, many creditable 

 persons attest the finding of pieces of pottery, flint axes, and 

 other works of art, deep in the osseous loam, as I doubt not 

 Mr. D. well knows. If such are found, why should human re- 

 mains be absent? Have we not every reason to conclude that 

 they are there, until the cavern has been thoroughly examined? 



On this subject, however, we shall probably know more 

 when the work proposed to be published by a gentleman there 

 resident, on the contents of this cavern, appears. 



I am by no means an advocate for bringing geology into 

 contact with the Bible : on the contrary, I think that for the 

 present at least they must essentially be kept separate ; and I 

 therefore dislike the occurrence of the term " diluvial" in any 

 system of the science, as continually bringing into view the 

 Noachian Deluge, as if geologists assigned it as the cause of all 

 the gravel and rubbish on the earth's surface. Yet, as it must 

 be the wish of every Christian to see the two accounts of the 

 occurrences on our globe agree (and they no doubt ultimately 

 will agree), I think it would be better if opinions opposed to 

 the Divine Record, in parts where it is distinctly expressed, 

 were omitted, unless supported by a very wide induction of 

 facts collected from every (juarler; and then only mentioned as 

 true in very qualified terms. The treatises of Penn, Faber, 

 and others, show how impossible it is at present to offer the 

 two in connection: while tlie "Scriptural Geology" fcjrms a 

 miserable instance of what ignorance and prejudice can effect 

 wiien wandering from the subjects really in del)ate; it stretches 

 every expression of the inspired historian further than even 

 common sense can warrant, and treats the Bible as a full re- 

 cord of science. — I have the utmost respect, no man more so, 

 lor the industry and research which Mr. Do la Beche displays 



A'..S'. Vol. 7. No. 3D. Muirli IS.'iO. 2 C 'm 



