The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1875-09-28
Origin OF Llrc.

Prcic,>ur Dawson, Of Montreal,
widely known on both sides of tho wate
as one Of the most learned geologsts an,
polooutologisis Of our day. He is also
since the death of Agassia. perhaps tn
most able aud profound opponent Of tn
Darwinians aud evolationists. ia q re
cent address on the origin of lie, on thi
planet, he afirms the following conclu
Siops, as established by the science 0
paleontolOgy:
l. The existence Of life and organiza
tion on the earth is not eternal, or cveI
coeval with the beginning OF :he physica
universe. but may possibly date from
Lauren,iau or immediately pre.Laurcu
tiun times
2 The Introduction Of uew species o
animals and plants has been coutiuuou,
process. ~, necessarily in the sense o
! derivation Of one species from another
bat n the higher sense oi the continued
operation of the cause or causes which
introduced life AT first This. as already
stated, take to be the true theological
or scriptural, as well as scientific. idea o'
what We ordinarily aud somewhat loosely
term crcufion.
3 Though thus continuous. the process
has not been Uniform; but periods ol
rapid production of species have aterDat.
ed with Others 10 which many Disappeared
and few were introduced This nsy have
been an fleet Of physical cycles rcacting
on the progress OF lilo
4. Species, ike individuals. have great
er energy and vitality in their youneo,
stages, aud rapidly assume pIl iheir vsrie.
tai forms aud extend themselves Is widely
as external circumstances will rermt.
Like individuals. al Q. they have their
periods OF old sge and decay, though the
i;ie Of some species has been Of cuormou.
duration 10 comparison giih that Of
others; The differences arpesting % he
conncc'ci wiih degrees Of adapraiou to
different conditions OF lite
D. Many allied species. continuing
groups oi animals and plau,a. have made
tbeif appearance ~ once 10 various parSS
OF the earth, aDd these groups have obey
ed the sam Avs with the Individual aud
the species in eliminating 'apidIy, aud
then slowly jimini,hipg, though d large
group once Introduced hos rarely disap
peared altogether
u. Groups OF >recies, as genera and
orders. do not usually begin with their
highest or lowest forms, hut with inter
mediate aud generaIizad types, and they
show a capacity for both elevation and
degradation in their subsequent history.
I The history of life presents q pro
cress from the lower to the higher. and
from the simpler to the more complex,
aud from ihe more generalized to the
moro specialized. Ia this progress new
'ypcs we've Introduced aud take the place
OF tho older ones. which siuk to relatively
subordinate places. and become thus de.
graded But the physical and organic
changes have become so correlated spd
adjusted that life has not only always
maintained It's existence, hut has been en-.
sllad IN assume tho n,nra oon,rlev forms
and the older forms have been made TO
prepare the way for newer, so that there
has been. on the whole. steady elevation
eliminating in man himself Elevation
aud specialization have, however, been
secured at the expense of vital energy
and range of adaptation, until the new
element OF a rational and inventive nature
was introduced in the case OF man.
g. la regard to the larger and more
distinct typea. we can no, 6nd evidence
that they have, in their introduction beer
preceded By similar forms connecting
them with previous groups hut there i,
reason TO believe that many supposed
representative species in successive forma
tioos are really only races or vare,ies.
8. ln 80 far as We can trace their his
tory, fpeci6c types are permanent iu tbei
characters from their Introduction to thei
extinction. and their earlier varieta
forms are similar to their later ones.
10. Psleontology iurnisbes no direo
evidence, perhaps never can furnish any
as to the actual transformation Of on
species into another, or as to the actua
circumstances of creation of species hu
the Drift Of its testimony is to how ths
species come 10 per saltum, rather thai
hy any slow and gradual process
IL. The origin aud history Of life can
not. any more than the origin and deter
animation of matter and force. bc explain
ed on purely material grounds, but in
wolves the consideration Of power re
ierahle to the unseen and spiritual world
Else where in his address, DR.. Dawso
presents strong arguments 10 justify hi
disseut from the theories Of the evolution
lists. lie regards them as "lundumentaIl Il
defective" 10 their tendency to refer nun
erous and complex phenomena to on
cause, or TO few causes. when ell ana
logy would suggest that their oriA AiD mus
he sought in the concurrence of many
The theorisrs also make an uuwarroute
use Of analogy. az. for example. betwee
the development of the individual embry
and the succession Of animals 10 geologi
periods, which DR.. Dawson shows to b
utterly uutenable. He claims, 6ually
that the theories of evolution are pnrtia
"inssm1ch ns they fell TO account for tn
va ly varied and correlated inierdepenC
ences Of natural things and forces. and f
the unity OF plan which pervades th
whole. These can bo explained only h
taking iDto the account another elemel
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