176 Mil. GLADSTONE AND GENESIS V 



But I have yet a fresh order to face. Mr. Glad- 

 stone (p. 11) understands "the main statements of 

 Genesis in successive order of time, but with- 

 out any measurement of its divisions, to be as 

 follows : 



1. A period of land, anterior to all life (v. 9, 10). 



2. A period of vegetable life, anterior to animal life (v. 11, 

 12). 



3. A period of animal life, in the order of fishes (v. 20). 



4. Another stage of animal life, in the order of birds. 



5. Another in the order of beasts (v. 24, 25). 



6. Last of all, man (v. 26, 27). 



Mr. Gladstone then tries to find the proof of 

 the occurrence of a similar succession in sundry 

 excellent works on geology. 



I am really grieved to be obliged to say that 

 this third (or is it fourth ?) modification of the 

 foundation of the " plea for revelation " originally 

 set forth, satisfies me as little as any of its pre- 

 decessors. 



For, in the first place, I cannot accept the 

 assertion that this order is to be found in Genesis. 

 With respect to No. 5, for example, I hold, as I 

 have already said, that " great sea monsters " 

 includes the Cetacea, in which case mammals 

 (which is what, I suppose, Mr. Gladstone means 

 by " beasts ") come in under head No. 3, and not 

 under No. 5. Again, "fowl" are said in Genesis 

 to be created on the same day as fishes; therefore 

 I cannot accept an order which makes birds 



