Another objection of a very different kind has been started with reference to this subject, which it certainly would not have occurred to us to notice, had it not really been enter tained as a serious difficulty by many ; and so much so as to have called forth a printed discourse from so distinguished a person as Dr. Buckland—the alleged objection, that the existence of death in the animal world (of which certainly the whole series of organic remains furnishes uninterrupted evidence through all epochs) is at variance with the Scrip ture doctrine that death was first introduced as the penalty attached to sin in the instance of Adam's transgression. We can only say that to us it was a new idea that the inferior animals were in any way involved in the conse quences of man's obedience or disobedience. To those who really feel any degree of difficulty on the subject we can only recommend a perusal of what Dr. Pye Smith has remarked upon it in his work before referred to (p. 286, etc.) We must also add a brief remark on one further point which has sometimes formed a topic of controversy, closely connected with the subject of Creation—the origin of the human race from a single primeval pair.
Viewed as a question of natural history simply, all the different races of men are but varieties of one species; since the physiological distinction of a species is that any of its varieties are capable of producing a mixed offspring which shall be itself prolific; with the mixture of species it is not so. A species, therefore, however widely spread, and however distinct its subordinate varieties, may in theory have originated from a single pair. Physiology, then, thus far shows nothing at variance with the belief that the human species did thus derive its origin.
There may, however, obviously be questions of another kind, such as the existence of local obstacles, the probable rate of increase, and the like, which must influence our belief as to the fact. These apparent difficulties, such as the peopling of America, and of the multitudes of islands especially in the midst of the Pacific Ocean, together with the length of time necessary for the spread and growth of such immense populations as even at very remote epochs must have inhabited many large districts, where we trace remains of high civilisation of unknown antiquity, have induced many to adopt the idea that there must have been original creations of man in many different parts of the globe ; and this, too, subsequently to the Mosaic deluge, if we are to understand it in a strictly universal sense [DELUGE].
It has also been alleged by those who are in favour of this hypothesis, that according to the Scripture narrative the existence of other races besides the family of Adam seems to be almost unavoidably implied in several particulars of that narrative. Thus in Gen. iv. 14, Cain complains that when he wanders forth on the earth, every one that findeth me shall slay me,' and accordingly a mark is set upon him, lest any finding him should kill him.' Again (ver. 17), Cain, going forth with his wife and child only, built in city, which at least must imply some collected number of persons. When Cain's wife is mentioned (ver. 17), it is without the slightest allusion to her origin ; and the extraordinary nature of the vulgar belief on that subject ought certainly (on all grounds) to be fairly balanced along with the alleged religious necessity for imagining only one descent for the human race. To these may be added the consideration of the very obscure passage (Gen. vi. 2, 4) respecting the progeny of the sons of God' and the daughters of men.' These and other topics, though we can do no more than thus briefly allude to them, must nevertheless be carefully taken into consideration in whatever opinion we form on the subject. It is doubtless a question of great difficulty, in whatever light we view it ; but more particularly so from the connection which it holds in the minds of many with the doctrine of original sin as connected with the fall of Adam. But for a discussion of so very wide and important a point we must refer the reader to other heads. [On the geological question, see Dr. IIitchcock's Religion of Geology and its connected sciences; on the question of the unity of the human race, Dr. Prichard's Natural History of Man, and some papers in the journal of Sacred Literature for January and July 1855J—B. P.