191 
ON THE CREATION, Sic. OF ANIMALS. 
with the creation of animals, and the great events preparatory 
to it; for when the Almighty Creator, in his wisdom and by the 
word of his power, had first brought into being and afterwards set 
in order the heavens and the earth—had caused the latter to 
bring forth grass, and herb, and tree—when all things were thus 
prepared, his next care was to people and enliven the earth with 
a different and higher class of beings, in whom to organization 
and life and growth and reproductive powers might be added 
sensation and voluntary motion. Unpeopled by animals, the 
verdant earth in all its primitive and untarnished beauty, though 
inlaid with flowers exhibiting in more or less variety every mixture 
and shade and colour that can glad the sight, would be a dull 
monotonous scene without the breath of life. No motions would 
be seen but of the passing clouds, of the fluctuating waters, 
and the waving boughs ; no voice heard but of the elements.” 
But it was not the will of the beneficent Creator to leave such 
a blank and blot in his creation. He said— 
“ Let th’ earth bring forth soul living in her kind. 
Cattle and creeping things, and beast of th’ earth. 
Each in their kind. The earth obeyed, and straight 
Opening her fertile womb, teem’d at a birth 
Innumerous living creatures, perfect forms, 
Limb’d and full grown.” 
What was the precise order of creation in the animal kingdom 
is nowhere clearly revealed ; and we can only conjecture, since 
the most perfect animal, man, was created the last, that the pro¬ 
gress was from those that w'ere at the foot of the scale to those 
that were at the summit. This opinion is confirmed by geolo¬ 
gical researches into the different strata of the earth. When the 
earth was completely furnished, and ready to receive her destined 
king and master, the word of power was spoken— 
Let us make man in our image,—man 
In our similitude; and let them rule 
Over the fish and fowl of sea and air. 
Beast of the field, and over all the earth, 
And every creeping thing that creeps the ground.” 
And now the generations of the world were perfect and health¬ 
ful, and “ God saw every thing that he had made, and behold it 
was very good.” 
We are informed in the sacred writings that the present struc¬ 
ture of the earth’s surface was formerly covered to a certain 
depth with water, which gradually lessened from causes unknown 
to us, so that various spots became dry and habitable. 
