4(5^ On the Creation, Diffusion, and 



sixth days, as stated in Genesis, and that those days were 

 natural days of twenty-four hours duration, and that the 

 habits, instincts, and propensities of species were the same 

 then as now, it is evident that many would never have 

 multiplied at all; because eagles, hawks, owls, and others 

 of the raptorial order, as well as the carnivorous mammalia, 

 would have destroyed them in the very outset of their career, 

 and the loss of either a male or a female would at once have 

 crushed the species. 



This view then is evidently incorrect. 



Secondly ; — If we suppose that the creation and diffusion 

 of organic beings has been progressive, — each being called 

 into existence, as its services were required — we shall first 

 have the vegetable kingdom diffusing itself gradually through 

 a number of years, over the earth ; and then, as some plants 

 became so numerous as to require a check upon their in- 

 crease, various species of the animate classes would be called 

 into being, and commissioned to restrain the vegetation within 

 certain limits. In like manner as these multiplied, it would 

 be found necessary to create other animals, until at length 

 after a lapse of many years, the whole animal kingdom 

 would have been successively supplied, and the earth ren- 

 dered fit for the reception of the human race. 



In this view we must not suppose that the whole of any 

 class of animals, whether of insects, birds, mammalia, or 

 others, was at once called into existence, but that different 

 genera, or rather a few species of several genera, were 

 from time to time supplied as they became necessary ; and for 

 this reason, that as some plants and animals increase and 

 diffuse themselves more rapidly than others, they would con- 

 sequently need restraining long before those of a slower 

 growth. 



In supposing the creation of animals to have been pro- 

 gressive, we may also allow that they sprung from a single 

 pair of each, because, each would have had time to pro- 



