GEOLOGY. 31 



chains of mountains ; sea and land repeatedly 

 changed conditions ; in short, the whole of the 

 aiTangements which we see prevailing in the 

 earth's crust took place, and that most undoubtedly 

 under the influence of natural laws which we 

 yet see continually operating. The remains and 

 traces of plants and animals found in the succes- 

 sion of strata, show that, while these operations ) 

 were going on, the earth gradually became the 

 theatre of organic being, simple forms appearing 

 first, and more complicated afterwai'ds. A time 

 when there was no life is first seen. We then 

 see life begin, and r/o on ; but whole ages elapsed 

 before man came to crown the work of nature. 

 This is a wonderful revelation to have come upon 

 the men of our time, and one which the philoso- 

 phers of the days of Newton could never have 

 expected to be vouchsafed. The great fact esta- ~ ; 

 Wished by it is, that the organic creation, as we 

 now see it, was not placed upon the earth at once ; 

 — it observed a progress. Now we can imagine 

 the Deity calling a young plant or animal into 

 existence instantaneously; but we see that he 

 does not usually do so. The young plant and 

 also the young animal go through a series of con- 

 ditions, advancing them from a mere germ to the 



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