388 Bibliography. 



Dr. Smith has not, like some theologians, denied, neglected, avoided, 

 or slurred over the facts ; he has met them in their full force ; he gives 

 entire credit to the researches of geology, both as regards the accuracy 

 and ability of the investigations and the fidelity of the reports. He 

 admits the obligation also which geologists have laid upon the world by 

 their arduous labors and important discoveries. 



Did our space admit, it would give us gi'eat pleasure to establish the 

 truth of these statements by numerous citations from the work ; and 

 we are happy in finding ourselves in almost perfect accordance with 

 the scientific views of the author. He is decidedly convinced not only 

 of the high antiquity of the planet, but also of its fossilized races of 

 plants and animals, and of the perfect consistency of this view with the 

 brief statement contained in the first verse of the first chapter of Gen- 

 esis, in which it is declared that God created the heavens and the earth 

 in the beginnings — as the author believes and we believe, long anterior 

 to the creation of man, whose appearance on the planet is geologically a 

 very modern event. While perfectly agreeing with him in this view, 

 it is with pain that we differ from so distinguished and excellent an au- 

 thor with respect to the six days. The scheme presented in Lecture VII, 

 Part II, however it may be thought to be philologically convenient, 

 does not appear to us to meet the geological difficulties, or to be con- 

 sistent with geological laws. As the writer of this notice has explained 

 his views in the appendix to Bakewell's Geology, (third American from 

 the fifth English edition,) we feel it to be the less necessary to repeat 

 the statements here. We have indeed preferred to avoid a polemical 

 discussion in this Journal, which is mainly devoted to facts. 



To us it appears that no explanation of geological phenomena in re- 

 lation to the days of the creation can be satisfactory, unless it allows the 

 requisite time for the events, as occurring in their proper order, con- 

 sistently with the laws of mineral dynamics and of organic life ; no im- 

 agined new arrangement, either local or general, in a period of a few 

 common days, disposing anew of ancient deposits, the products of long 

 gone by ages, can answer the purpose. 



In every other view we entirely approve of this most excellent work, 

 and we earnestly recommend it to the faithful study of those religious 

 persons who are anxious to know the truth. 



Dr. Smith has rendered a signal service to science and to religion by 

 meeting this great subject in the fulness and richness of its evidence- 

 in the splendor and deep interest of its discoveries. With admirable 

 candor and perfect comprehension of his materials, he has disposed of 

 them with masterly skill. 



This work will, if we mistake not, do more than any other has done, 

 to disabuse the religious world of their unreasonable fears of geology— 



