On the Peculiarities of the Human Body, which contribute to the Superiority of Man-His erect Head and Form- His peculiar Legs and Feet-His powerful Arm and THE SACRED HISTORY OF THE WORLD. LETTER I. On the Creation of the Earth-Light-The Atmosphere, and the Separation of Land and Sea. MY DEAR BOY, In this aspiring age no mind seems disposed to rest contented with either ancient opinions or ancient institutions; at least not without subjecting both to examinations and criticisms which oftener unsettle and disturb than benefit and satisfy. But every period has its own character of action and thought; and the present is distinguished by a more than ordinary sensibility of existing errors and imperfections, and by a diffusing desire to avoid or correct them. This tendency has spread, or is spreading, into every topic which has interested or agitated human nature. All subjects have been exposed to much skepticism, and to rigid inquiry. The mind has become unusually restless in exploring the causes and reasons of all things; and expects and exacts, that when it is required to believe, it should have full elucidations of the grounds and principles on which its assent is required, in addition to the knowledge or evidence of the facts or things themselves. Every department of the natural sciences has been subjected to this scrutiny, and has been benefited by such rigid investigations. The known is expected to be accounted for; and if it cannot be rationally explained, it is depreciated and discredited, even where it cannot be disproved, and ought not to be denied, B When the spirit of fair inquiry acts to this excess, we cannot but lament its unreasonable perversion. If such has been our experience as to the laws and phenomena of physical nature, we cannot be surprised that the same exploring or criticising spirit has been unhesitatingly directed to whatever is invisible, supernatural, or beyond the daily course and material order of things. The individual mind of every one can only act according to what it is, or has made itself, or been led to be; and if it has become habitually dissatisfied or discursive, it will be so in all things. As soon as disquisition takes the place of acquiescence, and we prefer to inquire rather than to venerate, the thoughts will not be restrained from doubt or discussion, even where we ought to pause, to submit, and to believe. No want of adequate knowledge, no state of ignorance will produce these deferent qualities, so useful, so necessary to us all; but on the contrary, appear universally to increase the appetite for objection and mistrust. It is often because we do not sufficiently know our subject of discussion, that we most keenly dispute about it. Numerous difficulties always arise to an active mind on every point on which its information is slender. It is ignorant of its ignorance until it gets larger knowledge. The superficial are commonly the most pugnacious; and we must be superficial before we can be well informed. Thus in the best intentioned minds doubt and objection, controversy and disbelief, cannot but precede knowledge, judgment, right opinions, and a satisfied conviction, in an age which makes intellectual subjects the topics of its conversation, its studies, or its business. Among the great themes of human thought, this inquiring spirit has for some time applied itself to the grandest of all-RELIGION; and with no very favourable result, in a large portion of mankind. So much superstition and worldly policy had been mingled with this most deeply interesting of all mental inquiries, that earnest desires have arisen to expunge it altogether from the human mind; and therefore it has been attacked from all quarters, and by every means of intellectual assault. Many also, by the fair use of enlarging judgment, have felt difficulties, which, without producing in them the hostile feelings of decided enemies, have led them to suspend their assent, and to seek for the elucidations that would remove their hesitation. In genuous youths, who are fond of study, usually fall into this state of mind. I have experienced it in myself; I see it in those around me, and in all countries; and I have no doubt, with your habit of mental application, that it will more or less arise in you. Religion will be a prominent portion of your education and pursuits: what all feel, who examine it with growing thought and knowledge, will occur to you; and the perception of this, as to yourself, and as to many whom I highly esteem, and as to others whom I should wish, as far as I am able, to assist and benefit, has induced me to attempt the present composition. My purpose in these letters will be to review the sacred history of the world from the creation to the deluge, as it has been narrated to us in the most ancient history and book now existing; and which has been universally venerated in the Christian world for its truth and origin, from the commencement of the Christian faith. From this authority we must take the facts that will form the foundation of the work. But the peculiar object of these letters will be to consider these facts, with a due recollection of the reasoned science, and of the varied knowledge, and enlightened investigation of the times we live in, so far as the defective information of the writer may reach; and to take those views of extended thought which may harmonize the recorded circumstances with the philosophical judgment. Fact and sound reasoning should always agree and illustrate each other. If our facts and our reasonings do not concur, one of these must be erroneous. And, as in all revealed truths, what is revealed must be true, if that is found to be at variance with our intellectual deductions, the mistake must be in our reasoning or in our inferences. While this discrepancy lasts we may be sure that we have not hit upon the right solution. However ingenious or plausible our argumentations may be, we have missed the just theory; we have not found the real key; we have not penetrated to the law and principle from which the revealed facts have proceeded, and from which alone the full comprehension of them can be derived. In the following reflections, the important subjects of thought which occur to the inquiring mind on the recorded subject of the primeval history of man during the first period of his being-a period which in the shortest computa tion comprised the first 1656 years of human existencewill be considered as they arise,-with continual deference to the authority from which the facts are taken, but with the exercise of that mental investigation which is usually termed philosophical. No arrogant assumption is intended by this epithet: it is a word which is used to denote an inquiry into the principles of what we discuss, according to those of our just knowledge on all natural phenomena a mental investigation, that searches for intelligible causes and agencies consistent with those with which we are al ready acquainted, and which seem to be most certain. It is an endeavour to illustrate by reason, what we believe upon proper authority. I have always found my own be lief most steady whenever I traced it to be in coincidence with my other knowledge; and it is my earnest desire that in all things your belief may be accompanied by your judgment; and that faith and reason may in you be always in that pleasing union, which will ever constitute the soundest and largest mind, and yield the greatest comfort. I cannot pretend to do more than to explain to you those inferences and reasonings which have satisfied myself. It is absurd for any human being, uninspired, to domineer over another. I would not attempt to do so. It would be both unjust and foolish. It would fail in its effect, and be contrary to the well-founded claim which every one has to judge for himself, under his own responsibility to the Deity, who rightfully claims our implicit obedience and immediate acquiescence in all that he discloses. But, between man and man, no one can with any justice or reason tyrannise or dogmatize over others. That we belong to a class of beings whose existence will not cease with their present earthly life, but will continue elsewhere-although the body we now animate will decay, and separate into its elementary particles-you and I believe, from reason, from our intellectual feelings, from the consent of the best philosophers of all ages, from the traditions of all nations, and from the deciding communications of the Christian revelation. We do not perish when our material frame dissolves. Our thinking and feeling principle survives its fleshly limbs and organs, which are but the instruments of its use and pleasures here; and will, after the visible death of our corporeal frame, and in re |