PRELIMINARY ESSAY. 13 



I must now conclude with a few general remarks on the account which 

 Moses has left us of the creation. 



It is plain to common sense, that he had not the most distant idea of 

 entering into, or accommodating himself to philosophical inquiries. 



His first object was to claim for the God of Israel, the glory of having 

 created the whole visible universe. His second object was, to give an 

 account of the origin of man, and of that order of things which first began 

 to exist at the same time with man. 



Such being manifestly the sole objects of Moses, all we can reasonably 

 expect from him touching scientific points is, first, that he should say 

 nothing directly contrary to the certain conclusions of philosophy. — 

 Secondly, that he should furnish some few hints in aid of such conclusions. 

 It appears to me that he has answered both these expectations; and 

 in answering them, he has given a strong proof that he wrote under 

 the direction of wisdom superior to his own. When alluding thus to the 

 divine authority of Moses, it will be necessary that I should guard against 

 a misapprehension of my meaning, I would by no means intimate, that 

 the writings of Moses need any support from reasonings, such as those 

 into which we have been led. The avithoritative and moral evidence to 

 which I have referred in a former part of this letter as sufficient to satisfy 

 the generahty of inquirers, is the great, and only true ground, on which 

 the authority of Moses always has rested, and always must rest. 



But while on this ground, I firmly believe that " God spake by Moses," 

 I am glad to find that evidence which brings me to the same point, and 

 which comes even home to my senses, has been furnished by the researches 

 of geology. 



I am. 



Yours, &c. 



