2 
positive evidence ; for it seems scarcely possible to read the 
Word of Grod in faith,, without coming to the conclusion that 
a knowledge of musical instruments, and of all kinds of work- 
manship in brass and iron, was perfectly common in the world 
before the days of Noah.* Indeed, how could the ark have 
been built according to its recorded dimensions, without an 
extended knowledge of the arts which belong to civilization ? 
Again, how could Cain have “ tilled the earth,” or Adam have 
i{ dressed the garden and kept it,” without mechanical con- 
trivances of some kind ? The horticultural and agricultural 
operations indicated by these terms are without any specific 
meaning, if Adam or Cain had nothing to dig up the soil with, 
but their fingers or the branches of trees. This, however, is 
not the main line of evidence which I propose to take up in 
the present paper ; for although the resting on that ground 
alone may be very satisfactory and grateful to the devout 
student of Scripture, yet it lacks that basis of scientific and 
philosophic thought, which it is now necessary to stand upon 
in view of free inquiry, and to reconcile which with Scripture, 
is, I believe, one of the first as well as wisest objects of our 
Institute. 
Let us look around upon the earth, therefore, apart from 
any records of divine revelation, and examine the conditions 
of mankind, in regard to moral and intellectual culture. On 
the one side we behold races both ancient and modern, pos- 
sessed of refinement and civilization ; on the other side, races, 
both ancient and modern, marked by manifest barbarism. The 
question is, which condition of things is entitled to priority ? 
Have primeval barbarous races worked up their way to civili- 
zation by successive stages of progress ? Or, have races which 
were primevally civilized and refined, dropped, through suc- 
cessive stages of degradation, into a state of barbarism? A 
solution of this difficult problem is one of the most interesting 
and important topics that can be presented to us. So much 
so, that anything which tends to throw light upon it becomes 
valuable. 
For my own part, I think I see evidence of a scientific 
character in favour of the second of these theories. Let me 
introduce it without further preface, by pointing out to you 
existing races, amongst whom a higher level of civilization 
than that which they now possess was once undoubtedly ap- 
parent ; races which, though they may not have dropped into 
actual savageness, have nevertheless, — even within the histo- 
rical period — greatly deteriorated, and degenerated. We may 
* See Genesis iv. 21, 22. 
