The Connexion of Natural and Divine Truth or the Study of the Inductive Philosophy Considered as Subservient to Theology (Paperback)

This historic book may have numerous typos, missing text or index. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. 1838. Not illustrated. Excerpt: ... 309 SUPPLEMENTARY NOTE, ON THE GEOLOGICAL EVIDENCE OF FORMER CONDITIONS OF ORGANIZED LIFE, AND ITS UNBROKEN SUCCESSION. In corroboration of my remarks on the unbroken series of changes by which the existing order of things on the globe has been introduced, I have peculiar satisfaction in being permitted to present my readers with the following extract from a letter with which I have been favoured by Professor Phillips, of King's College, London: --"The origin of organic life upon the globe, it may, perhaps, be impossible for geologists to fix, either with reference to the successive times disclosed by the examination of the earth's crust, or the geographical position; but it is certain that in descending the series of strata, i. c, in ascending the stream of time, we arrive at epochs continually less and less fertile of animal life, and finally reach a'terminus of this life, as judged of by the organic remains in the rocks, before attaining the limit of geological time, estimated in terms of the thickness and nature of stratified deposits. This is the true geological definition of the origin of organic life on the globe. "If it should be asked, as is natural, were there any previous systems of life on the globe? I reply, this is a matter to be considered on the evidence collected by geologists as to the physical conditions under which the earlier strata of the globe were deposited in the primaeval ocean. Perhaps the balance of evidence, including of course that derived from general physical considerations, is in favour of the hypothesis that the globe was in a state unfavourable to the development of organic life by reason of the greater influence then exercised by its proper heat upon the phenomena at the surface, than after a considerable thickness of non-condu...