486 On the Creation, Diffusion, and 



spot or garden, but to the earth at large, which then enjoyed, 

 during the short reign of innocence, a state of calm repose 

 and happiness, to which the appellation of paradise was well 

 suited. 



But, alas! this smiling scene was not destined to be of 

 long duration ; — man fell, — and in his fall involved the ruin 

 of a world. 



This, as we have already stated, was the period of the 

 first great geological revolution, by which the hitherto tro- 

 pical character of the climates was reduced to one of more 

 moderate temperature. 



How this was effected, we may take occasion to treat of 

 hereafter, but at present it is enough for us to state, that 

 such is recorded in the pages of Scripture, in the declara- 

 tion that the earth was cursed for man's sake, and would 

 henceforward produce nought but weeds, unless tilled and 

 subdued by the sweat of man's brow. How true that declara- 

 tion is, we may see by every day's experience, for to this 

 hour we eat our bread by "the toil and labour of our 

 hands." 



Supposing then that one great means of bringing about a 

 reduction of temperature consisted in the upheavement of 

 far loftier mountains than had hitherto adorned the surface 

 of the earth, it is evident that the cold currents sweeping 

 downwards from the snow-clad heights, would not only have 

 reduced the temperature, and checked the luxuriance of the 

 vegetation, but that it would also have caused the death 

 and extinction of the less hardy races, both vegetable and 

 animal, whose constitutions were such as to render them 

 unable to bear any other temperature than that which had 

 just been reduced. Such, we are inclined to consider, the 

 plants and animal exuviae of the secondary strata. 



At this period it may be that the carnivora were first 

 called into being, and commissioned to restrain the other 

 animal races which were now, be it remembered, to multiply 



