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circumstantial¡¡evidence¡¡alone£»¡¡for£»¡¡from¡¡what¡¡I¡¡have¡¡said£»¡¡you

will¡¡understand¡¡that¡¡I¡¡do¡¡not¡¡propose¡¡to¡¡discuss¡¡the¡¡question¡¡of

what¡¡testimonial¡¡evidence¡¡is¡¡to¡¡be¡¡adduced¡¡in¡¡favour¡¡of¡¡it¡£

If¡¡those¡¡whose¡¡business¡¡it¡¡is¡¡to¡¡judge¡¡are¡¡not¡¡at¡¡one¡¡as¡¡to¡¡the

authenticity¡¡of¡¡the¡¡only¡¡evidence¡¡of¡¡that¡¡kind¡¡which¡¡is¡¡offered£»

nor¡¡as¡¡to¡¡the¡¡facts¡¡to¡¡which¡¡it¡¡bears¡¡witness£»¡¡the¡¡discussion¡¡of

such¡¡evidence¡¡is¡¡superfluous¡£



But¡¡I¡¡may¡¡be¡¡permitted¡¡to¡¡regret¡¡this¡¡necessity¡¡of¡¡rejecting¡¡the

testimonial¡¡evidence¡¡the¡¡less£»¡¡because¡¡the¡¡examination¡¡of¡¡the

circumstantial¡¡evidence¡¡leads¡¡to¡¡the¡¡conclusion£»¡¡not¡¡only¡¡that

it¡¡is¡¡incompetent¡¡to¡¡justify¡¡the¡¡hypothesis£»¡¡but¡¡that£»¡¡so¡¡far¡¡as

it¡¡goes£»¡¡it¡¡is¡¡contrary¡¡to¡¡the¡¡hypothesis¡£



The¡¡considerations¡¡upon¡¡which¡¡I¡¡base¡¡this¡¡conclusion¡¡are¡¡of¡¡the

simplest¡¡possible¡¡character¡£¡¡The¡¡Miltonic¡¡hypothesis¡¡contains

assertions¡¡of¡¡a¡¡very¡¡definite¡¡character¡¡relating¡¡to¡¡the

succession¡¡of¡¡living¡¡forms¡£¡¡It¡¡is¡¡stated¡¡that¡¡plants£»¡¡for

example£»¡¡made¡¡their¡¡appearance¡¡upon¡¡the¡¡third¡¡day£»¡¡and¡¡not

before¡£¡¡And¡¡you¡¡will¡¡understand¡¡that¡¡what¡¡the¡¡poet¡¡means¡¡by

plants¡¡are¡¡such¡¡plants¡¡as¡¡now¡¡live£»¡¡the¡¡ancestors£»¡¡in¡¡the

ordinary¡¡way¡¡of¡¡propagation¡¡of¡¡like¡¡by¡¡like£»¡¡of¡¡the¡¡trees¡¡and

shrubs¡¡which¡¡flourish¡¡in¡¡the¡¡present¡¡world¡£¡¡It¡¡must¡¡needs¡¡be¡¡so£»

for£»¡¡if¡¡they¡¡were¡¡different£»¡¡either¡¡the¡¡existing¡¡plants¡¡have

been¡¡the¡¡result¡¡of¡¡a¡¡separate¡¡origination¡¡since¡¡that¡¡described

by¡¡Milton£»¡¡of¡¡which¡¡we¡¡have¡¡no¡¡record£»¡¡nor¡¡any¡¡ground¡¡for

supposition¡¡that¡¡such¡¡an¡¡occurrence¡¡has¡¡taken¡¡place£»¡¡or¡¡else

they¡¡have¡¡arisen¡¡by¡¡a¡¡process¡¡of¡¡evolution¡¡from¡¡the

original¡¡stocks¡£



In¡¡the¡¡second¡¡place£»¡¡it¡¡is¡¡clear¡¡that¡¡there¡¡was¡¡no¡¡animal¡¡life

before¡¡the¡¡fifth¡¡day£»¡¡and¡¡that£»¡¡on¡¡the¡¡fifth¡¡day£»¡¡aquatic

animals¡¡and¡¡birds¡¡appeared¡£¡¡And¡¡it¡¡is¡¡further¡¡clear¡¡that

terrestrial¡¡living¡¡things£»¡¡other¡¡than¡¡birds£»¡¡made¡¡their

appearance¡¡upon¡¡the¡¡sixth¡¡day¡¡and¡¡not¡¡before¡£¡¡Hence£»¡¡it¡¡follows

that£»¡¡if£»¡¡in¡¡the¡¡large¡¡mass¡¡of¡¡circumstantial¡¡evidence¡¡as¡¡to

what¡¡really¡¡has¡¡happened¡¡in¡¡the¡¡past¡¡history¡¡of¡¡the¡¡globe¡¡we

find¡¡indications¡¡of¡¡the¡¡existence¡¡of¡¡terrestrial¡¡animals£»¡¡other

than¡¡birds£»¡¡at¡¡a¡¡certain¡¡period£»¡¡it¡¡is¡¡perfectly¡¡certain¡¡that

all¡¡that¡¡has¡¡taken¡¡place£»¡¡since¡¡that¡¡time£»¡¡must¡¡be¡¡referred¡¡to

the¡¡sixth¡¡day¡£



In¡¡the¡¡great¡¡Carboniferous¡¡formation£»¡¡whence¡¡America¡¡derives¡¡so

vast¡¡a¡¡proportion¡¡of¡¡her¡¡actual¡¡and¡¡potential¡¡wealth£»¡¡in¡¡the

beds¡¡of¡¡coal¡¡which¡¡have¡¡been¡¡formed¡¡from¡¡the¡¡vegetation¡¡of¡¡that

period£»¡¡we¡¡find¡¡abundant¡¡evidence¡¡of¡¡the¡¡existence¡¡of

terrestrial¡¡animals¡£¡¡They¡¡have¡¡been¡¡described£»¡¡not¡¡only¡¡by

European¡¡but¡¡by¡¡your¡¡own¡¡naturalists¡£¡¡There¡¡are¡¡to¡¡be¡¡found

numerous¡¡insects¡¡allied¡¡to¡¡our¡¡cockroaches¡£¡¡There¡¡are¡¡to¡¡be

found¡¡spiders¡¡and¡¡scorpions¡¡of¡¡large¡¡size£»¡¡the¡¡latter¡¡so¡¡similar

to¡¡existing¡¡scorpions¡¡that¡¡it¡¡requires¡¡the¡¡practised¡¡eye¡¡of¡¡the

naturalist¡¡to¡¡distinguish¡¡them¡£¡¡Inasmuch¡¡as¡¡these¡¡animals¡¡can¡¡be

proved¡¡to¡¡have¡¡been¡¡alive¡¡in¡¡the¡¡Carboniferous¡¡epoch£»¡¡it¡¡is

perfectly¡¡clear¡¡that£»¡¡if¡¡the¡¡Miltonic¡¡account¡¡is¡¡to¡¡be¡¡accepted£»

the¡¡huge¡¡mass¡¡of¡¡rocks¡¡extending¡¡from¡¡the¡¡middle¡¡of¡¡the

Palaeozoic¡¡formations¡¡to¡¡the¡¡uppermost¡¡members¡¡of¡¡the¡¡series£»

must¡¡belong¡¡to¡¡the¡¡day¡¡which¡¡is¡¡termed¡¡by¡¡Milton¡¡the¡¡sixth¡£

But£»¡¡further£»¡¡it¡¡is¡¡expressly¡¡stated¡¡that¡¡aquatic¡¡animals¡¡took

their¡¡origin¡¡on¡¡the¡¡fifth¡¡day£»¡¡and¡¡not¡¡before£»¡¡hence£»¡¡all

formations¡¡in¡¡which¡¡remains¡¡of¡¡aquatic¡¡animals¡¡can¡¡be¡¡proved¡¡to

exist£»¡¡and¡¡which¡¡therefore¡¡testify¡¡that¡¡such¡¡animals¡¡lived¡¡at

the¡¡time¡¡when¡¡these¡¡formations¡¡were¡¡in¡¡course¡¡of¡¡deposition£»

must¡¡have¡¡been¡¡deposited¡¡during¡¡or¡¡since¡¡the¡¡period¡¡which¡¡Milton

speaks¡¡of¡¡as¡¡the¡¡fifth¡¡day¡£¡¡But¡¡there¡¡is¡¡absolutely¡¡no

fossiliferous¡¡formation¡¡in¡¡which¡¡the¡¡remains¡¡of¡¡aquatic¡¡animals

are¡¡absent¡£¡¡The¡¡oldest¡¡fossils¡¡in¡¡the¡¡Silurian¡¡rocks¡¡are¡¡exuviae

of¡¡marine¡¡animals£»¡¡and¡¡if¡¡the¡¡view¡¡which¡¡is¡¡entertained¡¡by

Principal¡¡Dawson¡¡and¡¡Dr¡£¡¡Carpenter¡¡respecting¡¡the¡¡nature¡¡of¡¡the

Eozoon¡¡be¡¡well¡­founded£»¡¡aquatic¡¡animals¡¡existed¡¡at¡¡a

period¡¡as¡¡far¡¡antecedent¡¡to¡¡the¡¡deposition¡¡of¡¡the¡¡coal¡¡as¡¡the

coal¡¡is¡¡from¡¡us£»¡¡inasmuch¡¡as¡¡the¡¡Eozoon¡¡is¡¡met¡¡with¡¡in

those¡¡Laurentian¡¡strata¡¡which¡¡lie¡¡at¡¡the¡¡bottom¡¡of¡¡the¡¡series¡¡of

stratified¡¡rocks¡£¡¡Hence¡¡it¡¡follows£»¡¡plainly¡¡enough£»¡¡that¡¡the

whole¡¡series¡¡of¡¡stratified¡¡rocks£»¡¡if¡¡they¡¡are¡¡to¡¡be¡¡brought¡¡into

harmony¡¡with¡¡Milton£»¡¡must¡¡be¡¡referred¡¡to¡¡the¡¡fifth¡¡and¡¡sixth

days£»¡¡and¡¡that¡¡we¡¡cannot¡¡hope¡¡to¡¡find¡¡the¡¡slightest¡¡trace¡¡of¡¡the

products¡¡of¡¡the¡¡earlier¡¡days¡¡in¡¡the¡¡geological¡¡record¡£¡¡When¡¡we

consider¡¡these¡¡simple¡¡facts£»¡¡we¡¡see¡¡how¡¡absolutely¡¡futile¡¡are

the¡¡attempts¡¡that¡¡have¡¡been¡¡made¡¡to¡¡draw¡¡a¡¡parallel¡¡between¡¡the

story¡¡told¡¡by¡¡so¡¡much¡¡of¡¡the¡¡crust¡¡of¡¡the¡¡earth¡¡as¡¡is¡¡known¡¡to

us¡¡and¡¡the¡¡story¡¡which¡¡Milton¡¡tells¡£¡¡The¡¡whole¡¡series¡¡of

fossiliferous¡¡stratified¡¡rocks¡¡must¡¡be¡¡referred¡¡to¡¡the¡¡last¡¡two

days£»¡¡and¡¡neither¡¡the¡¡Carboniferous£»¡¡nor¡¡any¡¡other£»¡¡formation

can¡¡afford¡¡evidence¡¡of¡¡the¡¡work¡¡of¡¡the¡¡third¡¡day¡£



Not¡¡only¡¡is¡¡there¡¡this¡¡objection¡¡to¡¡any¡¡attempt¡¡to¡¡establish¡¡a

harmony¡¡between¡¡the¡¡Miltonic¡¡account¡¡and¡¡the¡¡facts¡¡recorded¡¡in

the¡¡fossiliferous¡¡rocks£»¡¡but¡¡there¡¡is¡¡a¡¡further¡¡difficulty¡£

According¡¡to¡¡the¡¡Miltonic¡¡account£»¡¡the¡¡order¡¡in¡¡which¡¡animals

should¡¡have¡¡made¡¡their¡¡appearance¡¡in¡¡the¡¡stratified¡¡rocks¡¡would

be¡¡thus£º¡¡Fishes£»¡¡including¡¡the¡¡great¡¡whales£»¡¡and¡¡birds£»

after¡¡them£»¡¡all¡¡varieties¡¡of¡¡terrestrial¡¡animals¡¡except¡¡birds¡£

Nothing¡¡could¡¡be¡¡further¡¡from¡¡the¡¡facts¡¡as¡¡we¡¡find¡¡them£»¡¡we¡¡know

of¡¡not¡¡the¡¡slightest¡¡evidence¡¡of¡¡the¡¡existence¡¡of¡¡birds¡¡before

the¡¡Jurassic£»¡¡or¡¡perhaps¡¡the¡¡Triassic£»¡¡formation£»

while¡¡terrestrial¡¡animals£»¡¡as¡¡we¡¡have¡¡just¡¡seen£»¡¡occur¡¡in¡¡the

Carboniferous¡¡rocks¡£



If¡¡there¡¡were¡¡any¡¡harmony¡¡between¡¡the¡¡Miltonic¡¡account¡¡and¡¡the

circumstantial¡¡evidence£»¡¡we¡¡ought¡¡to¡¡have¡¡abundant¡¡evidence¡¡of

the¡¡existence¡¡of¡¡birds¡¡in¡¡the¡¡Carboniferous£»¡¡the¡¡Devonian£»¡¡and

the¡¡Silurian¡¡rocks¡£¡¡I¡¡need¡¡hardly¡¡say¡¡that¡¡this¡¡is¡¡not¡¡the¡¡case£»

and¡¡that¡¡not¡¡a¡¡trace¡¡of¡¡birds¡¡makes¡¡its¡¡appearance¡¡until¡¡the¡¡far

later¡¡period¡¡which¡¡I¡¡have¡¡mentioned¡£



And¡¡again£»¡¡if¡¡it¡¡be¡¡true¡¡that¡¡all¡¡varieties¡¡of¡¡fishes¡¡and¡¡the

great¡¡whales£»¡¡and¡¡the¡¡like£»¡¡made¡¡their¡¡appearance¡¡on¡¡the¡¡fifth

day£»¡¡we¡¡ought¡¡to¡¡find¡¡the¡¡remains¡¡of¡¡these¡¡animals¡¡in¡¡the¡¡older

rocksin¡¡those¡¡which¡¡were¡¡deposited¡¡before¡¡the¡¡Carboniferous

epoch¡£¡¡Fishes¡¡we¡¡do¡¡find£»¡¡in¡¡considerable¡¡number¡¡and¡¡variety£»

but¡¡the¡¡great¡¡whales¡¡are¡¡absent£»¡¡and¡¡the¡¡fishes¡¡are¡¡not¡¡such¡¡as

now¡¡live¡£¡¡Not¡¡one¡¡solitary¡¡species¡¡of¡¡fish¡¡now¡¡in¡¡existence¡¡is

to¡¡be¡¡found¡¡in¡¡the¡¡Devonian¡¡or¡¡Silurian¡¡formations¡£¡¡Hence¡¡we¡¡are

introduced¡¡afresh¡¡to¡¡the¡¡dilemma¡¡which¡¡I¡¡have¡¡already¡¡placed

before¡¡you£º¡¡either¡¡the¡¡animals¡¡which¡¡came¡¡into¡¡existence¡¡on¡¡the

fifth¡¡day¡¡were¡¡not¡¡such¡¡as¡¡those¡¡which¡¡are¡¡found¡¡at¡¡present£»¡¡are

not¡¡the¡¡direct¡¡and¡¡immediate¡¡ancestors¡¡of¡¡those¡¡which¡¡now¡¡exist£»

in¡¡which¡¡case£»¡¡either¡¡fresh¡¡creations¡¡of¡¡which¡¡nothing¡¡is¡¡said£»

or¡¡a¡¡process¡¡of¡¡evolution£»¡¡must¡¡have¡¡occurred£»¡¡or¡¡else¡¡the¡¡whole

story¡¡must¡¡be¡¡given¡¡up£»¡¡as¡¡not¡¡only¡¡devoid¡¡of¡¡any¡¡circumstantial

evidence£»¡¡but¡¡contrary¡¡to¡¡such¡¡evidence¡¡as¡¡exists¡£



I¡¡placed¡¡before¡¡you¡¡in¡¡a¡¡few¡¡words£»¡¡some¡¡little¡¡time¡¡ago£»¡¡a

statement¡¡of¡¡the¡¡sum¡¡and¡¡substance¡¡of¡¡Milton's¡¡hypothesis¡£

Let¡¡me¡¡now¡¡try¡¡to¡¡state¡¡as¡¡briefly£»¡¡the¡¡effect¡¡of¡¡the

circumstantial¡¡evidence¡¡bearing¡¡upon¡¡the¡¡past¡¡history¡¡of¡¡the

earth¡¡which¡¡is¡¡furnished£»¡¡without¡¡the¡¡possibility¡¡of¡¡mistake£»

with¡¡no¡¡chance¡¡of¡¡error¡¡as¡¡to¡¡its¡¡chief¡¡features£»¡¡by¡¡the

stratified¡¡rocks¡£¡¡What¡¡we¡¡find¡¡is£»¡¡that¡¡the¡¡great¡¡series¡¡of

formations¡¡represents¡¡a¡¡period¡¡of¡¡time¡¡of¡¡which¡¡our¡¡human

chronologies¡¡hardly¡¡afford¡¡us¡¡a¡¡unit¡¡of¡¡measure¡£¡¡I¡¡will¡¡not

pretend¡¡to¡¡say¡¡how¡¡we¡¡ought¡¡to¡¡estimate¡¡this¡¡time£»¡¡in¡¡millions

or¡¡in¡¡billions¡¡of¡¡years¡£¡¡For¡¡my¡¡purpose£»¡¡the¡¡determination¡¡of

its¡¡absolute¡¡duration¡¡is¡¡wholly¡¡unessential¡£¡¡But¡¡that¡¡the¡¡time

was¡¡enormous¡¡there¡¡can¡¡be¡¡no¡¡question¡£



It¡¡results¡¡from¡¡the¡¡simplest¡¡methods¡¡of¡¡interpretation£»¡¡that

leaving¡¡out¡¡of¡¡view¡¡certain¡¡patches¡¡of¡¡metamorphosed¡¡rocks£»¡¡and

certain¡¡volcanic¡¡products£»¡¡all¡¡that¡¡is¡¡now¡¡dry¡¡land¡¡has¡¡once

been¡¡at¡¡the¡¡bottom¡¡of¡¡the¡¡waters¡£¡¡It¡¡is¡¡perfectly¡¡certain¡¡that£»

at¡¡a¡¡comparatively¡¡recent¡¡period¡¡of¡¡the¡¡world's¡¡historythe

Cretaceous¡¡epochnone¡¡of¡¡the¡¡great¡¡physical¡¡features¡¡which¡¡at

present¡¡mark¡¡the¡¡surface¡¡of¡¡the¡¡globe¡¡existed¡£¡¡It¡¡is¡¡certain

that¡¡the¡¡Rocky¡¡Mountains¡¡were¡¡not¡£¡¡It¡¡is¡¡certain¡¡that¡¡the

Himalaya¡¡Mountains¡¡were¡¡not¡£¡¡It¡¡is¡¡certain¡¡that¡¡the¡¡Alps¡¡and¡¡the

Pyrenees¡¡had¡¡no¡¡existence¡£¡¡The¡¡evidence¡¡is¡¡of¡¡the¡¡plainest

possible¡¡character¡¡and¡¡is¡¡simply¡¡this£ºWe¡¡find¡¡raised¡¡up¡¡on¡¡the

flanks¡¡of¡¡these¡¡mountains£»¡¡elevated¡¡by¡¡the¡¡forces¡¡of¡¡upheaval

which¡¡have¡¡given¡¡rise¡¡to¡¡them£»¡¡masses¡¡of¡¡Cretaceous¡¡rock¡¡which

formed¡¡the¡¡bottom¡¡of¡¡the¡¡sea¡¡before¡¡those¡¡mountains¡¡existed¡£

It¡¡is¡¡therefore¡¡clear¡¡that¡¡the¡¡elevatory¡¡forces¡¡which¡¡gave¡¡rise

to¡¡the¡¡mountains¡¡operated¡¡subsequently¡¡to¡¡the¡¡Cretaceous¡¡epoch£»

and¡¡that¡¡the¡¡mountains¡¡themselves¡¡are¡¡largely¡¡made¡¡up¡¡of¡¡the

materials¡¡deposited¡¡in¡¡the¡¡sea¡¡which¡¡once¡¡occupied¡¡their¡¡place¡£

As¡¡we¡¡go¡¡back¡¡in¡¡time£»¡¡we¡¡meet¡¡with¡¡constant¡¡alternations¡¡of¡¡sea

and¡¡land£»¡¡of¡¡estuary¡¡and¡¡open¡¡ocean£»¡¡and£»¡¡in¡¡correspondence¡¡with

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