331 
have correctly quoted his words, I must observe that the extent 
of the Professor's conversion is extremely slight. There were 
once no less than twenty-nine supposed successions of life 
on this earth. Six special creations at least were long in 
favour, of course with enormous intervals between. Professor 
Huxley only speaks, however, of “ three successions — three 
revivals;" and it is fair to observe that he does not say 
“ creations." We, however, have not so much to do at pre- 
sent with his lull opinions as to this ; but only with what he 
chose to enunciate as proved by science, and what he advanced 
as deducible therefrom. 
His argument was that there were proofs of three succes- 
sions or revivals of life in this globe, because of the differences 
found in the fossil organic remains in the strata superimposed 
upon one another. But I think you will admit that this is a 
subject far too large to be entered upon minutely at the end 
of this already only too long discourse. Yet still I must 
endeavour to convince you, that at the present time it would 
be most unwise to allow our children to be taught that even 
“ three revivals " is really “ scientific doctrine." But as 
“ time hastens on," — and I, unfortunately, have not unlimited 
periods of time at my disposal, — I must, in despair, at last have 
recourse to “ scientific authority." 
Well, one President of the Geological Society of London, 
Mr. Hamilton, thus expressed himself in his annual address in 
1865 
“ We are daily becoming more convinced that no real natural breaks exist 
between the Faunas and Floras of what we are accustomed to call geological 
periods.” * 
So he does not agree with Professor Huxley ! 
Another President of the Geological Society, in his annivel’- 
sary address in 1862, called in question the contemporaneity, 
or identity of date, of what are called the same strata, in 
different parts of the globe ; and he went so far as to urge 
also this : — 
Those seemingly sudden appearances of new genera and species, which 
we ascribe to new creation, may be the simple results of migration.” 
But the President of the Geological Society, who thus ex- 
pressed himself in 1862, was the same Professor Huxley who 
taught the doctrine of “ three successions— three revivals," to 
the clergy at Sion College last month ! Are then the doctrines 
ol migration and revivals reconcilable ? It is not for me now 
* Vide Journ. of Trans, of Viet. Inst, vol. i. p. 38. 
