82 Evolution and its Consequences 



organica. Hinc quae ad infimum, supremumque gradum spectant et 

 si qu« alia sunt, quae naturae viribus neque nunc producuntur, plena 

 et perfects tunc fuisse producta ; quae vero interjectis gradibus con- 

 tinentur et nunc naturae viribus producuntur, virtute duntaxat et 

 et seminaliter seu causaliter^ tunc Dei imperio extitisse. Augustini 

 opinio, semper ah err ore immunis hahita, pluribus placuit tlieologis 

 quos inter Albertus Magnus. St. Thomas in Summa, p. 1, q. 74, a. 2 

 — earn reveretur, et nee ipsi nee vulgari doctrinae praejudicandum 

 censet, p. 15, 16.' 



No liberal-minded man can see with anything but regret 

 how eagerly Professor Huxley endeavours to restrict within 

 the narrowest limits the faith of the greater part of the 

 Christian world, saying, * I, for one, shall feel bound to believe 

 that the doctrines of Suarez are the only ones which are 

 sanctioned by authority,' etc. 



But the attempt to represent that such literalism is 

 binding on Catholics is simply preposterous. There is no 

 need for the present Archbishop of Westminster to give any 

 such permission as Professor Huxley speaks of (as to the six 

 days), because such freedom existed long before His Grace 

 occupied the see, and was accepted by his predecessor, 

 Cardinal Wiseman. It would be restriction, not freedom, 

 which could alone require him to make any declaration on 

 the subject. 



We might really suppose that at this day it would be 

 superfluous to assert that Catholics are free and unembar- 

 rassed in their geology and palaeontology. But that I may not 

 seem to shirk a point on which the Professor lays such stress, 

 namely, the ' six days ' of creation, I will say a few words as 

 to the position of Catholics with regard to this matter. 



Now, authorities showing the freedom of Catholics in this 

 respect are so numerous, that it is only difficult to choose. 

 In the first place we have St. Augustin and his many 

 followers, also St. Hildegard, Bertier, Berchetti, Ghici, Robe- 

 bacher, and Bossuet. Cardinal Cajetan says distinctly that 



