On the Causes ichich retard Geological Knowledge. 299 



« ' There is doubtless more difficulty as to the earlier periods ; 

 but the writer, after studying the subject for many years, has 

 formed the opinion, that the geological facts are not only consis- 

 tent with sacred history, but that their tendency is to illustrate 

 and confirm it.' 



" The sum total of the meaning of these passages is, that the sedi- 

 mentary deposit found so extensively upon the present surface, 

 was deposited there by the Noachic deluge recorded in the 

 scriptures ; for there are no other discoveries in geology, that 

 have any reference to any thing contained in the book of Gene- 

 sis. And when he says, " there can be but one opinion," and a 

 confirmative one, that geology fully confirms the scripture his- 

 tory of that event, he either speaks unadvisedly, or without in- 

 formation ; for the leading names in geology with us in Europe, 

 have been for some time divided on that point. Lyell, Murchison, 

 Sedgewick, (a clergyman, and professor too, at Cambridge,) 

 Scrope, Fitton, and many others, distinguished Fellows of the 

 Royal Society of London, have declared they do not believe 

 geology confirms the scripture history of the deluge. To these may 

 be added the distinguished names of Blainville, Jeffroy, Demarest, 

 &c. &c. from the continental geologists. Not one of these phi- 

 losophers has ventured to impugn the scripture account of a 

 great deluge, but they do declare, that their laborious investiga- 

 tions have led them to the opinion, that the sedimentary matter 

 ascribed by some geologists to the Noachic flood, has been de- 

 posited by partial and local inundations, arising from causes still 

 in action, and which have been immemorially degrading old sur- 

 faces, and producing new ones. They see no evidence of one 

 universal inundation of the earth, in practical geology, and few 

 men have seen more than themselves. The antagonist names 

 of others who hold modified opinions on this subject, are also of 

 great weight ; for if any men deserve the confidence of the scien- 

 tific world, it is Buckland, Greenough, Conybeare, De la Beche, 

 Warburton, in England; Cuvier, Brogniart, Cordier, Elie de 

 Beaumont, &-c. in France. Thus we see, that although there 

 may be only one opinion in Yale college on this point, yet out of 

 it, the scientific world is divided into two great parties. There 

 are other passages in this appendix, of a similar nature, and even 

 more censurable. 



" Page 25. ' Indeed, it is generally agreed, that judging from 



