CREATION OF ANIMALS. 17 



ductions of our globe in consequence of the fall 

 of man from his original state ? We learn from 

 the inspired penman, that God, induced by that 

 sad event, pronounced a curse upon the ground, 

 and predicted that it should produce in abundance 

 noxious plants for the annoyance of the offending 

 race of man, and that whereas the primeval earth 

 brought forth spontaneously her fruits and 

 flowers, and afforded man a pleasant and delight- 

 ful recreation and employment, without subject- 

 ing him to toil and weariness ; this state of 

 things should cease, and man, for the future, 

 should earn his bread with difficulty by the la- 

 bour of his hands and the sweat of his brows. 

 From hence it seems to follow that at this time 

 some great change took place, both with respect 

 to climate, and to that blessing from atmospheric 

 influences which produces plenty and fertility 

 with the lowest amount of labour. Geologists 

 have observed, from the remains of plants and 

 animals embedded in the strata of this and other 

 northern countries, that the climate must formerly 

 have been warmer than it now is. 1 Some change 

 or changes of this kind therefore would sooner or 

 later produce the extinction of such animals and 

 plants, inhabitants of northern countries, as could 

 not bear such a change of temperature, and at 

 the same time could not escape from it; and 



1 See Appendix, note 7. 

 VOL. I. C 



