able than others to a clear investigation. The chief of these, if not
almost the only one, is the origin of the organic kingdoms. So long as
this remains obscure, the supernatural will have a certain hold upon
enlightened persons. Should it ever be cleared up in a way that leaves
no doubt of a natural origin of plants and animals, there must be a
complete revolution in the view which is generally taken of the relation
of the Father of our being.

"This prepares the way for a few remarks on the present state of opinion
with regard to the origin of organic nature. The great difficulty here
is the apparent determinateness of species. These forms of life being
apparently unchangeable, or at least always showing a tendency to return
to the character from which they have diverged, the idea arises that
there can have been no progression from one to another; each must have
taken its special form, independently of other forms, directly from the
appointment of the Creator. The Edinburgh Review writer says, 'they were
created by the hand of God and adapted to the conditions of the period.'
Now it is, in the first place, not certain that species constantly
maintain a fixed character, for we have seen that what were long
considered as determinate species have been transmuted into others.
Passing, however, from this fact, as it is not generally received among
men of science, there remain some great difficulties in connection
with the idea of special creation. First we should have to suppose, as
pointed out in my former volume, a most startling diversity of plan
in the divine workings, a great general plan or system of law in the
leading events of world-making, and a plan of minute, nice operation,
and special attention in some of the mere details of the process. The
discrepancy between the two conceptions is surely overpowering, when we
allow ourselves to see the whole matter in a steady and rational light.
There is, also, the striking fact of an ascertained historical progress
of plants and animals in the order of their organization; marine and
cellular plants and invertebrated animals first, afterwards higher
examples of both. In an arbitrary system we had surely no reason to
expect mammals after reptiles; yet in this order they came. The writer
in the Edinburgh Review speaks of animals as coming in adaptation to
conditions, but this is only true in a limited sense. The groves which
formed the coal-beds might have been a fitting hab