The Earth and its Early History 



direction of obtaining further facts relating to the origin 

 of the Universe. The Hebrew version of the creation, 

 not essentially different from, though perhaps more 

 detailed than, other Eastern traditions, was universally 

 accepted, and any attempts on the part of thinkers to 

 throw doubt on the literal truth of this account were 

 severely discouraged on the grounds that they were 

 subversive of religion and morality. 



Such was the prejudice against what were considered 

 advanced views on matters of this kind that physical 

 violence was often resorted to for their suppression, and 

 many are the stories in medieval literature of the cruelties 

 inflicted on men, and women too, whose only fault was 

 a wish to use the brain and develop the powers of reason 

 with which they were endowed, under the plea that they 

 were practising the " black art." 



Any departure from orthodoxy in the smallest par- 

 ticular, if allowed to become general, would undoubtedly 

 weaken the hold of the priesthood upon the people, which, 

 though in the then state of their education, would doubt- 

 less have been to some extent detrimental to the well- 

 being of the community at large, would have fallen still 

 more heavily on the priests themselves, and was therefore 

 discouraged by the princes of the church. 



It had long been known that there occurred in the 

 rocks objects resembling the shells of animals which 

 inhabit the waters of the sea, and the sixteenth century 

 saw the commencement of a great controversy as to their 

 nature and origin. 



We are now so familiar with the idea that these 

 fossils are the remains of animals which once peopled 

 the waters and were the ancestors of forms now living 



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