Theories of Creation and the Universe [pp. 177-194]

184 THEORIES OF CREATION AND THIE UNIVERSE.
would not affect the force of the evidences introduced to prove a pro gressive advance from the lower to the higher forms of matter, under
a "fixed order or law." We may admit this to be true, since it ap pears that the nebular hypothesis is the offspring of the imagination
of certain learned philosophers; not, however, without phenomena to
warrant their far-reaching speculations, but without an established
fact to support them. We, therefore, without p)resenting any farther
objections to this part of the " Vestiges," leave it in the light of Lord
Rosse's unrivaled glass, where it appears without the least probabil ity of truth.
Passing over many minor matters which, we think, do not affect
the character of the theory, we turn at once to the deeply interesting
history of past generations, as discovered by the eye of science in
their fossil remains. WVe will not attempt to follow the "Vestiges"
regularly through all the different strata of the earth, and genera of
animals referred to; it will suffice to state the conclusion to which
the author arrlives, and show that the facts do not sustain him. We
have seen that he advocates the nebular hypothesis, and that the
world resulted from the operation of certain laws upon the nebula.
He also contends that there is a regular advance from the simple lichen
and animalcule to the highest order of dicotyledonous trees and mam mals; and that this regular advance or improvement of vegetable arind
animal life, depends upon and is the result of certain immnutable laws,
the controling influence of which admits of no deviation. The lichen
and moss, the humblest forms of vegetable matter, improved upon
themselves until they produced the forest monarch. The lightning's
flash, and some wandering electric spark wakes an animalcule into
life, to commence that system of organic improvement which continues until instinct ripens into intellect, and creatures of a moment
are clothed with immortality. The worm, the reptile, fish, bird,
quadruped, each in regular succession, are each the offspring of the
preceding. Man, the noblest of all sublunary beings, endowed with
an intellect capable of the widest range of knowledge, whose touch
the elements of heaven obey-for whom all things were created-to
supply whose wants a teeming world empties its rich profusion at his
feet-to soften and ennoble whose character the music of a thousand
spheres exhausts its melody-for whonl the rocks were rent, the sun
was darkened, and the last convulsive throes of expiring innocence
were suffered-is the grand total of all the improvements. All this,
too, the result of laws, independent of any action of Deity. Under
their influence the thunder rolls, the lightning kindles the heavens
with fire, the sea ebbs and flows, volcanoes bury cities, and the vagrant
wanderers of space survey its illimitable fields; pestilence depopulates and earthquakes destroy; there is no God to direct, to limit or
to stay, to pity or to save. He who
spangled o'er infinity with suns,
And wrapp'd it round about him as a robe,
-and wrote out his own great name
In spheres of fire, that heaven might alway tell
To every creature, God,"
is silent before the majestic workings of his own creation-stern and
unchangeable-unmoved by pity or by love.