66 66 66 66 proposition, our animated author proceeds to deduce, from his alleged concealment of those high matters, the savour which gives to physical research its peculiar relish; and he asks "Who would willingly exchange "that play of mind which the task of invention affords, for a system which should leave no other province to reason beyond learning that which was already plainly recorded? Did it not carry us beyond our limits, it "would be easy to shew, how much of the interest of "science arises from the former cause; and that, not only "in the minds of the few who are gifted to achieve original discoveries, but of the many who, in following their steps, ' pursue the triumph and partake the gale?' "How little comparative curiosity should we feel concerning the course of the Niger or the northern coast "of America, could they be as easily examined as the Thames and the Channel!" Surely this respected writer cannot have reflected upon the principle which he thus poetically propounds, and which directly and expressly inculcates, that the gratification of the reason, is in inverse proportion to the possession of the truth: so that, where there is a narrower field for the mind to exercise the play of invention, there the province of reason must be proportionately reduced in the measure of enjoyment. What then becomes of the high and supreme delight arising from the presence of truth itself, which precludes all play of invention; and, which Cicero pronounced to be the ultimate object of appetite to the human mind? Has our "distinguishing prerogative of reason" no province to stimulate and savour its exercise, in things that are already 66 1 Introduction to Geol. of England and Wales, p. li. plainly recorded? The enjoyment of invention, in science and philosophy, is then only legitimate, when, unable to attain the verum, it has attained the verisimile; and, the enjoyment is derived, not from any playful exercise of thought, but solely from the resemblance of truth which is discerned, and which inspires a well-founded hope of the propinquity of truth itself. Shall we then say, that it is derived from the remaining distance of the truth; and, that it would cease with the occurrence of the truth plainly revealing and recording that which was at first sought by invention? That it is only to be experienced so long as we" look through a glass darkly," which leaves us a field for invention? Who would not willingly exchange such play of mind for a system so plainly recorded, as should supersede and render impertinent all the frolics of invention? The play of the mind in invention, is most commonly like the play of a grampus on a shoal, which plays and flounders because it cannot make progress. That mental play is illegitimate, which can only be enjoyed by keeping short of the full illumination of the truth; and yet, such is the enjoyment inadvertently and unintentionally eulogised in the terms of the principle advanced by this instructive mineralogist; and which is directly at variance with his own better considered judgment, which condemns "the impatience of those who avail themselves "of the immature results of an imperfect knowledge, (that "is, who invent,) opposed as it is in every respect to the persevering and reflective spirit of inquiry which marks 66 genuine philosophy, and can alone lead to the ultimate "attainment of truth1." This, is his real opinion; and 1 Introduction to Geol. of England and Wales, p. xlix. therefore, he could never have meant to inculcate that which the terms of his proposition, nevertheless, incautiously convey to the geological student; or, that we do not feel as much real enjoyment in expatiating on the banks of the Thames, as we feel speculative enjoyment in conjecturing of those of the Niger; or, that the interests of science would cease, as soon as the appetite of curiosity should be satisfied with respect to the course of the latter river. The truth is, that in the passage which I have cited, the "interests of science" are accidentally involved with the incitement of "curiosity;" and, the same conclusion is incautiously and precipitately drawn to both. 14." It does not seem inconsistent with the authority "of the sacred historian (proceeds this author) to suppose, "that, after recording in the first sentence of Genesis the "fundamental fact of the original formation of all things by the will of an Intelligent Creator, he may pass, sub 66 66 silentio, some intermediate state whose ruins formed the "CHAOTIC MASS he proceeds to describe, and out of 66 which, according to his further narrative, the present "order of our portion of the universe was educed1." I must leave to the First and Second Parts of the following work to shew, demonstratively, that such a chaotic mass, and such an eduction from it, as are here and elsewhere assumed, are not only not described by the sacred historian, but are absolutely inadmissible by the principles either of his history or of our reason; and therefore, that it would be totally inconsistent to assume, or to suppose, that the historian has passed any part of them sub silentio, which 1 Introduction to Geol. of England and Wales, p. lx. would be only to insist hypothetically upon those inventive articles, against the evidence which fundamentally disproves them. It is a most dangerous adventure of the invention, to attempt to confirm an hypothesis of unattested facts, by the total silence of the historian who alone could have attested them 1. 15. "The general connexion of physical science (con"tinues the same writer,) will be rather with natural "than revealed religion; for, in the former, the great 66 problem will be, to trace the Author of Nature in "His works-thus, the connexion is essential. But, "that with revelation is incidental only, and confined to "such facts as happen to be mentioned in relation to the providential history of man, its great object." This reasoning, is a natural offspring of the separating principle which I oppose. But, I apprehend, that the " great problem" for those who live under Revelation, will rather be to trace the Author of Scripture in the Works of Nature. It is far beneath a Christian to be always 66 86 laying again the foundation3," by accumulating a glut of evidences that nature has an Author: a fact, so abundantly proved to the human reason, that the Apostle affirmed it to be "known". -yvσrov—even to the heathen world, and he pronounced that world" inexcusable” — avaroλoynros, for not acting in conformity to that knowledge. The Christian's object is, assuredly, to multiply the evidences which shew, that that Author, so amply manifested by His Works, is the Author also of the Inscribed Truths on which he rests for light, for consolation, and for See p. 296 of this Volume, note 2. 2 Introduction to Geol. of England and Wales, p. 51. 3 Heb. vi. 1. 66 hope. Those uniting evidences our respected author calls incidental only," and he views them as "not contri"buting much additional support to the truth of the "Mosaic record1." But, if they exist at all, (and they do exist,) we may be perfectly sure that they are not inci"dental only," but "essential;" and, that the fundamental facts which " happen to be mentioned," will not have been mentioned by Chance but by Providence, and will, therefore, as they were designed, contribute MUCH additional support to the truth of the Mosaic record. 66 16. I am perfectly well aware, that all this is entirely new language to Physical Science in general; but, the Physical Science of Christendom stands urgently in need of hearing this new language. It has long called "darkness light, and light darkness ;" and, in some cases intentionally, in other cases unconsciously, it has persisted in playing the cards of infidelity, as will be abundantly manifested in the progress of the following treatise. But, the long period of its competition with the authority of Revelation has reached its term; and, as the rod of Aaron consumed the competing rods of the magicians, and confounded the Sophists of Egypt ALYUTTOU (LXX.); so the pen of Moses, of which the former may be regarded as in some manner symbolical, will confound all the physical sophisms and alogisms which have been advanced, in contradiction or perversion of the record which that pen was commissioned to inscribe. This is not the language of self-confidence, but of perfect confidence in the tried and closely examined Word of God; and, it is a confidence which I am not in the smallest degree disposed to relinquish, merely lest some cynical τους σοφιστάς της 1 Introduction to Geol. of England and Wales, p. lvi. lvii. |