VIEWS OF M. AGASSIZ. 



what it would take some trouble to investigate. W"« 

 generally would impose limits to our faculties, rath«r 

 than increase their range by their exercise ; and the his- 

 tory of the sciences is present to tell us that there ara 

 few of the great truths now recognized which have not 

 been treated as chimerical and blasphemous before they 

 were demonstrated."* 



Where men are so much perplexed between two oppo- 

 site principles, led by science in the one direction and 

 drawn by intellectual indolence or timidity in the other, 

 it is not surprising to find them expressing opinions 

 wholly contradictory. Sir John Herschel some years 

 ago announced views strictly conformable to those subse 

 quently taken of organic creation in my book. " For my 

 part," said he, " I cannot but think it an inadequate con- 

 ception of the Creator to assume it as granted that his 

 combinations are exhausted upon any one of the theatres 

 of their former exercise, though in this, as in all his 

 other works, we are led, by all analogy, to suppose that 

 he operates through a series of intermediate causes, and 

 that, in consequence, the origination of fresh species, 

 could it ever come under our cognizance, ivould be found 

 to be a natural, in contradistinction to a miraculous pro- 

 cess, — although we perceive no indications of any process 

 actually in progress which is likely to issue in such a 

 result." In his address to the British Association at 

 Cambridge, (1845,) he said, with respect to my hypothe- 

 sis of the first step of organic creation — " The transition 

 from an inanimate crystal to a globule capable of such 

 endless organic and intellectual development, is as great 

 a step — as unexplained a one — as unintelligible to us— 

 and in any sense of the word as miraculous, as the im- 

 mediate creation and introduction upon earth of every 

 species and every individual would be !" 



The reader will now be able to judge of the views op- 

 posed to the theory of universal order. He observes that 

 they are of no distinct unique character, but for the most 

 part follow the measure of ignorance, and are maintained 

 at the expense of consistency. It is not surprising that 

 the idea of an organic creation by special exertion or fiat 

 should be maintained by the advocates of these views, for 

 it is one of the last obscure pieces of scientific ground on 

 which they can show face. One after another the phe- 

 • Jameson's Journal, 1842 



