V MR GLADSTONE AND GENESIS 179 



a question on which a prudent biologist will 

 reserve his opinion. 



I think that I have now disposed of those parts 

 of Mr. Gladstone's defence in which I seem to 

 discover a design to rescue his solemn " plea for 

 revelation/' But a great deal of th^ " Proem to 

 Genesis " remains which I would gladly pass over 

 in silence, were such a course consistent with the 

 respect due to so distinguished a champion of the 

 " reconcilers." 



I hope that my clients the people of average 

 opinions have by this time some confidence in 

 me ; for when I tell them that, after all, Mr. 

 Gladstone is of opinion that the " Mosaic record " 

 was meant to give moral, and not scientific, 

 instruction to those for whom it was written, they 

 may be disposed to think that I must be mis- 

 leading them. But let them listen further to 

 what Mr. Gladstone says in a compendious but 

 not exactly correct statement respecting my 

 opinions : 



He holds the writer responsible for scientific precision : I look 

 for nothing of the kind, but assign to him a statement general, 

 which admits exceptions ; popular, which aims mainly at pro- 

 ducing moral impression ; summary, which cannot but be open 

 to more or less of criticism of detail. He thinks it is a lecture. 

 I think it is a sermon (p. 5). 



I note, incidentally, that Mr. Gladstone appears 

 to consider that the differentia between a lecture 



