468 On the Creation, Diffusion, and 



It may again be urged, that having shown the carnivora 

 to be posterior to the fall of man, the objection to the ani- 

 mals having sprung from a single pair of each, is at once 

 removed ; not so, however, — for the argument cannot be 

 maintained with regard to the animals alone, but to all 

 organised nature, and therefore it is still impossible that the 

 furnishing the earth with plants and animals could have 

 proceeded from single pairs of each species, because the 

 first pair of elephants, of oxen, or of hares, (if then in exist- 

 ence) having exterminated in a few days the greater portion 

 of the vegetation within the limits of their haunts, would 

 then in turn have become extinct from sheer starvation. 



With regard to the creation of some animals and plants, 

 subsequent to the recorded days of Scripture, I shall again 

 take occasion to speak in the sequel, when I trust sufficient 

 proofs of the fact may be adduced, from the phenomena 

 observable in the strata of the earth. 



In the meantime, let us proceed to inquire into the tena- 

 bility of the arguments adopted by former theorists, to ac- 

 count for the diffusion of plants and animals. 



It has been suggested by Linnaeus that the portion of the 

 earth which was first destined to be the abode of man, con- 

 tained climates suited to all classes of beings, as well vege- 

 table as animal ; and that from this nursery or focus, a gra- 

 dual diffusion of species over the face of the earth took 

 place. 



The various degrees of climate were produced by sup- 

 posing this region to possess some lofty mountain ranges, on 

 which, at various elevations, were to be found the plants and 

 animals destined for cool climates. 



Now, this region must necessarily have contained all the 

 plants and animals of the world, as it was before the Fall ; — 

 some of these were fitted for a residence in hot climates, and 

 could not live in a cold one ; others, destined to inhabit cold 

 regions, could not survive in tropical countries. From this 



