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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： 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： 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：We 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
these al