COSMOGONY. 743 



then had shrouded the sphere were mostly condensed. This must 

 have preceded the introduction of the Animal system, since the sun 

 is the grand source of activity throughout nature on the earth, 

 and is essential to the existence of life, excepting its lowest forms. 

 In the history of the globe which has been given on page 196, it 

 has been shown that the outlining of the continents was one of the 

 earliest events, dating even from the Azoic age ; and it is probable, 

 from the facts stated, that it preceded that clearing of the atmo- 

 sphere which opened the sky to the earth. This would place the 

 event between numbers 3 and 5, and, as the sun's light was not 

 essential to the earliest of organisms, probably after number 4. 



The order will, then, be — 



(1.) Activity begun, — light an immediate result. 



(2.) The earth made an independent sphere. 



(3.) Outlining of the land and water, determining the earth's 

 general configuration. 



(4.) The idea of life expressed in the lowest plants, and after- 

 wards, if not cotemporaneously, in the lowest or systemless ani- 

 mals, or Protozoans. 



(5.) The energizing light of the sun shining on the earth, — an 

 essential preliminary to the display of the systems of life. 



(6.) Introduction of the systems of life. 



(7.) Introduction of Mammals, — the highest order of Vertebrates, 

 — the class afterwards to be dignified by including a being of moral 

 and intellectual nature. 



(8.) Introduction of Man. 



Cosmogony of the Bible. — There is one ancient document on cosmo- 

 gony — that of the opening page of the Bible — which is not only 

 admired for its sublimity, but is very generally believed to be of 

 divine origin, and which, therefore, demands at least a brief con- 

 sideration in this place. 



In the first place, it may be observed that this document, if true, 

 is of divine origin. For no human mind was witness of the events ; 

 and no such mind in the early age of the world, unless gifted with 

 superhuman intelligence, could have contrived such a scheme ; — 

 would have placed the creation of the sun, the source of light to 

 the earth, so long after the creation of light, even on the fourth 

 day, and, what is equally singular, between the creation of plants 

 and that of animals, when so important to both ; and none could 

 have reached to the depths of philosophy exhibited in the whole 

 plan. 



Again, If divine, the account must bear marks of human imperfection, 

 since it was communicated through man. Ideas suggested to a human 



