64 THE HISTORY OF CREATION. 
which it has gradually spread over the rest of the earth. 
Instead of this, Agassiz assumes each species to have been 
created at several points of the earth’s surface, and that in 
each case a large number of individuals was created. 
The “natural system” of organisms, the different groups 
and categories of which arranged above one another— 
namely, the branches, classes, orders, families, genera, and 
species—we consider, in accordance with the Theory of 
Descent, as different branches and twigs of the organic family- 
tree, is, according to Agassiz, the direct expression of the 
divine plan of creation, and the naturalist, while investigat- 
ing the natural system, repeats the creative thoughts of God. 
In this Agassiz finds the strongest proof that man is the 
image and child of God. The different stages of groups or 
categories of the natural system correspond with the different 
stages of development which the divine plan of creation 
had attained. The Creator, in projecting and carrying out 
this plan, starting from the most general ideas of creation, 
plunged more and more into specialities. For instance, 
when creating the animal kingdom, God had in the first 
place four totally distinct ideas of animal bodies, which he 
embodied in the different structures of the four great, 
principal forms, types, or branches of the animal kingdom; 
namely, vertebrate animals, articulate animals, molluscous 
animals, and radiate animals. The Creator then, having 
reflected in what manner he might vary these four different 
plans of structure, next created within each of the four 
principal forms, several different classes—for example, in 
the vertebrate animal form, the classes of mammals, 
birds, reptiles, amphibious animals, and fishes. Then 
God further reflected upon the individual classes, and by 
