218 PROGRESSIVE DEVELOPMENT. 



Kingdom, by which it was thought that higher forms ascended 

 from lower, until the highest were attained. 



A theory so novel and startling as the foregoing, did not, of 

 course, escape the most vigorous opposition from adherents 

 of prevailing theories in philosophy and theology. This oppo- 

 sition was specially inspirited by the alarm which was taken 

 by the dominant theology, which considered the theory in 

 question as a bold invasion of her assumed prerogative as 

 a generally unquestionable guide in matters of religious faith. 

 The main features of this opposition (which, we think, was 

 partly just and partly unjust) require here to be briefly repre- 

 sented, together with the essential points of argument in the 

 rejoinder which the opposition called forth from the author 

 of the " Vestiges." 



The book in question was charged with a " direct tendency 

 to expel the Almighty from the universe which He has made 

 to degrade the god-like race to whom He has intrusted the 

 development and appreciation of His power, and to render the 

 revelation of His will an incredible superstition ;" and, prob- 

 ably with quite as strong a desire to neutralize this alleged 

 tendency considered in the abstract, as to develop truth 

 regardless of its consequences, its essential idea was pro- 

 nounced " an opinion which has not a single fact in its favor 

 which stands in direct opposition to all the analogies of nature 

 which is repugnant to the best feelings of mankind, and 

 subversive of all our most cherished convictions a fraud com- 

 mitted upon the reason, and an insult cast upon the dignity of 

 our species."* 



The zeal of the prominent opposers of this work, and their 



* North British Keview for July, 1845. 



