NATURAL HISTORY OF CREATION. 135 



otherwise than in the ordinary way of generation, since 

 the time of which geology forms the record ? To this it 

 may be answered, in the first place, that the negative of 

 the question could not be by any means formidable to the 

 doctrine of law-creation, seeing that the conditions neces- 

 sary for the operation of the supposed life-creating laws 

 may not have existed within record to any great extent. 

 There may have never been an instance of the origination 

 of life, otherwise than by generation, since the commence- 

 ment of the human species, and nevertheless the doctrine 

 in question may be shown upon grounds altogether apart 

 to have strong probability on its side. On the other 

 hand, as we see the physical laws of early times still 

 acting with more or less force, it might not be unreason- 

 able to expect that we should still see some remnants, or 

 partial and occasional workings of the life-creating energy 

 amidst a system of things generally stable and at rest. 

 Are there, then, any such remnants to be traced in our 

 own day, or during man's existence upon earth? If 

 there be, it clearly would form a strong evidence in 

 favour of the doctrine, as wdiat now takes place upon a 

 confined scale, and in a comparatively casual manner, 

 may have formerly taken place on a great scale, and as 

 the proper and eternity-destined means of supplying a 

 vacant globe with suitable tenants. It will at the same 

 time be observed that, the earth being now supplied with 

 both kinds of tenants in great abundance, we only could 

 expect to find the life-originating power at work in some 

 very special and extraordinary circumstances, and pro- 

 bably only in the inferior and obscurei- departments of 

 the vegetable and animal kingdoms. 



Perhaps, if the question were asked of ten men of 

 approved reputation in science, nine out of the number 

 would answer in the negative. This is because, in a 



