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Among the physical sciences； I do not know that any could claim
more than that it is true within certain limits； so narrow that；
for the present at any rate； they may be neglected。 If such is
the case； I do not see where the line is to be drawn between
exactly true； partially true； and mainly untrue forms of
science。 And what I have said about the current theology at the
end of my paper ＇supra pp。 160…163＇ leaves； I think； no
doubt as to the category in which I rank it。 For all that； I
think it would be not only unjust； but almost impertinent； to
refuse the name of science to the 〃Summa〃 of St。 Thomas or to
the 〃Institutes〃 of Calvin。
In conclusion； I confess that my supposed 〃unjaded appetite〃 for
the sort of controversy in which it needed not Mr。 Gladstone's
express declaration to tell us he is far better practised than I
am （though probably； without another express declaration； no one
would have suspected that his controversial fires are burning
low） is already satiated。
In 〃Elysium〃 we conduct scientific discussions in a different
medium； and we are liable to threatenings of asphyxia in that
〃atmosphere of contention〃 in which Mr。 Gladstone has been able
to live； alert and vigorous beyond the common race of men； as if
it were purest mountain air。 I trust that he may long continue
to seek truth； under the difficult conditions he has chosen for
the search； with unabated energyI had almost said fire
May age not wither him； nor custom stale
His infinite variety。
But Elysium suits my less robust constitution better； and I beg
leave to retire thither； not sorry for my experience of the
other regionno one should regret experiencebut determined
not to repeat it； at any rate in reference to the 〃plea
for revelation。〃
NOTE ON THE PROPER SENSE OF THE 〃MOSAIC〃 NARRATIVE
OF THE CREATION。
It has been objected to my argument from Leviticus （suprà
p。 170） that the Hebrew words translated by 〃creeping things〃 in
Genesis i。 24 and Leviticus xi。 29； are different； namely；
〃reh…mes〃 in the former； 〃sheh…retz〃 in the latter。 The obvious
reply to this objection is that the question is not one of words
but of the meaning of words。 To borrow an illustration from our
own language； if 〃crawling things〃 had been used by the
translators in Genesis and 〃creeping things〃 in Leviticus； it
would not have been necessarily implied that they intended to
denote different groups of animals。 〃Sheh…retz〃 is employed in a
wider sense than 〃reh…mes。〃 There are 〃sheh…retz〃 of the waters
of the earth； of the air； and of the land。 Leviticus speaks of
land reptiles； among other animals； as 〃sheh…retz〃；
Genesis speaks of all creeping land animals； among which land
reptiles are necessarily included； as 〃reh…mes。〃
Our translators； therefore； have given the true sense when they
render both 〃sheh…retz〃 and 〃reh…mes〃 by 〃creeping things。〃
Having taken a good deal of trouble to show what Genesis i。…ii。
4 does not mean； in the preceding pages； perhaps it may be well
that I should briefly give my opinion as to what it does mean。
I conceive that the unknown author of this part of the
Hexateuchal compilation believed； and meant his readers to
believe； that his words； as they understood themthat is to
say； in their ordinary natural senseconveyed the 〃actual
historical truth。〃 When he says that such and such things
happened； I believe him to mean that they actually occurred and
not that he imagined or dreamed them； when he says 〃day；〃 I
believe he uses the word in the popular sense； when he says
〃made〃 or 〃created；〃 I believe he means that they came into
being by a process analogous to that which the people whom he
addressed called 〃making〃 or 〃creating〃； and I think that；
unless we forget our present knowledge of nature； and； putting
ourselves back into the position of a Phoenician or a Chaldaean
philosopher； start from his conception of the world； we shall
fail to grasp the meaning of the Hebrew writer。 We must conceive
the earth to be an immovable； more or less flattened； body； with
the vault of heaven above； the watery abyss below and around。
We must imagine sun； moon； and stars to be 〃set〃 in a
〃firmament〃 with； or in； which they move； and above which is yet
another watery mass。 We must consider 〃light〃 and 〃darkness〃 to
be things； the alternation of which constitutes day and night；
independently of the existence of sun； moon； and stars。 We must
further suppose that； as in the case of the story of the deluge；
the Hebrew writer was acquainted with a Gentile （probably
Chaldaean or Accadian） account of the origin of things； in which
he substantially believed； but which he stripped of all its
idolatrous associations by substituting 〃Elohim〃 for Ea； Anu；
Bel； and the like。
From this point of view the first verse strikes the keynote of
the whole。 In the beginning 〃Elohim created the heaven and
the earth。〃 Heaven and earth were not primitive existences from
which the gods proceeded； as the Gentiles taught； on the
contrary； the 〃Powers〃 preceded and created heaven and earth。
Whether by 〃creation〃 is meant 〃causing to be where nothing was
before〃 or 〃shaping of something which pre…existed；〃 seems to me
to be an insoluble question。
As I have pointed out； the second verse has an interesting
parallel in Jeremiah iv。 23： 〃I beheld the earth； and； lo； it
was waste and void； and the heavens； and they had no light。〃
I conceive that there is no more allusion to chaos in the one
than in the other。 The earth…disk lay in its watery envelope；
like the yolk of an egg in the glaire； and the spirit； or
breath； of Elohim stirred the mass。 Light was created as a thing
by itself； and its antithesis 〃darkness〃 as another thing。
It was supposed to be the nature of these two to alternate； and
a pair of alternations constituted a 〃day〃 in the sense of an
unit of time。
The next step was； necessarily； the formation of that
〃firmament；〃 or dome over the earth…disk； which was supposed to
support the celestial waters； and in which sun； moon； and stars
were conceived to be set； as in a sort of orrery。 The earth was
still surrounded and covered by the lower waters； but the upper
were separated from it by the 〃firmament；〃 beneath which what we
call the air lay。 A second alternation of darkness and light
marks the lapse of time。
After this； the waters which covered the earth…disk； under the
firmament； were drawn away into certain regions； which became
seas； while the part laid bare became dry land。 In accordance
with the notion； universally accepted in antiquity； that moist
earth possesses the potentiality of giving rise to living
beings； the land； at the command of Elohim； 〃put forth〃 all
sorts of plants。 They are made to appear thus early； not； I
apprehend； from any notion that plants are lower in the scale of
being than animals （which would seem to be inconsisten