402 REVIEWS—ON THE ORIGIN OF SPECIES. 
they neither increase successively in number, nor do they gradually dwindle 
downs none of the fossil remains thus far observed show signs of a gradual im- 
provement or of a slow decay.—He would have us believe that geological de- 
posits took place during periods of subsidence; when it can be proved that the 
whole continent of North America is formed of beds which were deposited 
during a series of successive upheavals. I quote North America in preference 
to any other part of the world, because the evidence is so complete here that it 
can be overlooked only by those who may mistake subsidence for ‘the general 
shriaking of the earth’s surface, in consequence of the cooling of its mass. In 
this part of the globe, fossils are as common along the successive shores of the 
rising deposits of the Silurian system, as anywhere along our beaches : and each 
of these successive shores extends from the Atlantic States to the foot of the 
Rocky Mountains. The evidence goes even further; each of these successive 
sets of beds of the Silurian system contains peculiar fossils, neither found in the 
beds above nor in the beds below, and between them there are no intermediate 
forms. And yet Darwin affirms that ‘the littoral and sub-littoral deposits are 
continually worn away, as soon as they are brought up by the slow and gradual 
rising of the land within the grinding action of the coast waves.’—(Origin of 
Species, p. 290.)—He would also have us believe that the most perfect organs of 
the body of animals are the product of gradual improvement; when eyes as per- 
fect as those of the Trilobites are preserved with the remains of these oldest 
animals.—He would have us believe that it required millions of years to effect 
any one of these changes; when far more extraordinary transformations are 
daily going on, under our eyes, in the shortest periods of time, during the 
growth of animals ——He would have us believe that animals acquire their in- 
stincts gradually ; when even those that never see their parents, perform at 
birth the same acts, in the same way, as their progenitors.—He would have us 
believe that the geographical distribution of animals is the result of accidental 
transfers ; when most species are so narrowly confined within the limits of their 
natural range, that even slight changes in their external relations may cause 
their death. And all these, and many other calls upon our credulity, are coolly 
made in the face of an amount of precise information, readily accessible, which 
would overwhelm any one who does not place his opinions above the records 
of an age eminently characterized for its industry ; and during which, that 
information was laboriously accumulated by crowds of faithful laborers. 
Professor Huxley argues from the existence of rudimentary organs, 
such as ‘‘the splint-like bones in the leg of the horse, which corres- 
pond with bones which belong to certain toes and fingers in the human 
hand and foot ;” the rudimentary cutting teeth on the upper jaw of 
the young calf; the teeth of the foetal whale which are never used and 
come to nothing, and other similar instances ; contending that such 
facts are entirely unaccountable and inexplicable except on Mr. Dar- 
win’s hypothesis, according to which the whalebone whale descended 
from a whale with teeth, the horse from an animal with several toes, 
