The Sun.
London, England, 1839-05-16 00:00:00

ENEN [NO EDITION.

LITERATURE.

IS DEATH A PUNISHMENT?

An Inquiry whether iheSenten;oi Death, pronounced
at Me Fall of Manh;nd, included the whole Animal Crea-
tion, or was restricted to the Human Race. A Sermon
preached in the Cathedral of Christchurch. before, the
University of Oxford, Jan. 27. 1839. By the Rev.
W. BUCKLAND, F.R. S., Canon of Christ-
church, and Reader in Gcology and Mine alogy in the
University of Oxford.
Dr. Buckland is well known as one of the most skil-
ful geologists of the day, but the pursuit of his favourite
science has exposed him to considerable censure and
inconvenience. His clerical brethren and their journey-
men have butted at him like goats, because he has
not thought as they think, or spoken as they speak.
More than one political journal has attacked him, and
notably that journal which now zealously labours to
regain credit for the Church which it erewhile decried.
We beg leave to imitate this example, and, theological
though the work be, make it the subject of some remarks.
It is asserted by Churchmen that geology is to be
put aside, as the astronomy of Hershell is stifled, be-
cause it does not accord with the Mosaic account of
the creation. Dr. Buckland being both a geologist
and a clergyman, feels himself under an obligation
to reconcile them, and by dint of straining a few passages
and swallowing a few difficulties, he thinks he has suc-
ceeded. From the manner, however, in which he isstill at-
tacked by the bigots, for the Times continues to batter hiai,
we infer that he has not been successful, and that he had
eaten the bread of hypacrisy without obtaiainz adruis
Elan to the community of saints. His sermon will not,
we apprehend, elevate him in the estimation of scientific
thinkers, and the reception it has already met with
from interested believers, must prove to Dr. Buckland
that they are too vigilant to suffer an enemy to puss
harmless by hoisting false colours.
The researches of geoh,gists have hroualtt ta
light the remains of a corisH.x.ll)!e
animals which, there is e‘ cry reason ao ve,
existed • before the race of mail. If they lived
and died before he was ere Lied, it could wit have
been by his son that de.ith carn, into the world. The
object of Dr. BuAlanii's sermon, therefore, is to show
that the death of animals was not the consequence of
Adam's fall. and that the curse supposed to have been
pronounced on his presumed guilt was confined to our
race. This is a curious as well as a limited and specific
speculation. Let us see how Dr. Buckland makes it
out. In the preface he says—
". It has not unfrequcntly been proposed to me, as a
theological objection to the credibility of the great
amount of death which geology shows to have prevailed
amongst extinct races that formerly inhabited our earth,
that such phenomena are irreconcileable with the idea,
supposed to be derived from Scripture, that no animals
would ever have died, had it not been for the fall of
mar."

Dr. Buckland endeavours to prove that Scripture
warrants no such idea. He cites several passages of
the New Testament, from which he trusts " it will ap-
pear that death, though most clearly inflicted as a pu-
nishment on man, it is by no inspired writer spoken of
as a penal dispensation to any other living creature,
except Adam and his posterity." With the help of a
little straining, and giving a different translation from
the Vulgate, Dr. B. makes out this satisfactorily. After
(inciting such passages as this, " For since by man came
death, by ma❑ came also the resurrection of the dead,'
he adds-