40 



different stocks?* Yet the same writer, in a 

 more serious moment, could be startled at the 

 incalculable number of original species to 

 which such wild suppositions would lead us. 

 " If we admit this/' you observe, " the number 

 " of species would be overwhelming." f 



Instead of these perplexing contradictions 

 and palpable absurdities, it would have shown 

 your prudence to have left your pupils reposing 

 on the simple and sublime account of Moses. 

 After all your researches, it is plain that you 

 have nothing better to offer; and that sound 

 philosophy, as well as history and tradition, 

 conspire to confirm these relations of Scrip- 

 ture. By the help of dresses and costumes, 

 you have contrived to make some pretty pic- 

 tures, which you call Mongolian, Caucasian, 

 Ethiopian, American, and Malay varieties. On 

 the same principles, you might have extended 

 the varieties of the human race to every country 

 under heaven. If these are the discoveries 

 which are to destroy the authenticity of the Old 

 Testament, it is wonderful, indeed, that it should 

 have survived the opinions of 3000 years. But 

 though such speculations are ridiculous when 

 viewed by men of real learning, they may 

 prove of incalculable mischief amongst the 

 half-educated members of your profession. It 

 is solely on this account, not from their in- 

 trinsic weight or importance, that they re- 



* P. 454. f P. 502. 



