Vestiges of the Natural History of Creation (Chapter 19)
by Robert Chambers
Note Conclusory
hus ends a book, composed in solitude, and almost without
the cognizance of a single human being, for the sole purpose (or as nearly
so as may be) of improving the knowledge of mankind, and through that
medium their happiness. For reasons which need not be specified, the
author's name is retained in its original obscurity, and, in all
probability, will never be generally known. I do not expect that any word
of praise which the work may elicit shall ever be responded to by me, or
that any word of censure shall ever be parried or deprecated. It goes forth
to take its chance of instant oblivion, or of a long and active course of
usefulness in the world. Neither contingency, can be of any importance to
me, beyond the regret or the satisfaction which may be imparted by my sense
of a lost or a realized benefit to my fellow-creatures. The book, as far as
I am aware, is the first attempt to connect the natural sciences into a
history of creation. The idea is a bold one, and there are many
circumstances of time and place to render its boldness more than usually
conspicuous. But I believe my doctrines to be in the main true; I believe
all truth to be valuable, and its dissemination a blessing. At the same
time, I hold myself duly sensible of the common liability to error, but am
certain that no error in this line has the least chance of being allowed to
injure the public mind. There fore I publish. My views, if correct, will
most assuredly stand, and may sooner or later prove beneficial; if
otherwise, they will as surely pass out of notice without doing any
harm.
My sincere desire in the composition of the book was to
give the true view of the history of nature, with as little disturbance as
possible to existing beliefs, whether philosophical or religious. I have
made little reference to any doctrines of the latter kind which may be
thought inconsistent with mine, because to do so would have been to enter
upon questions for the settlement of which our knowledge is not yet ripe.
Let the reconciliation of whatever is true in my views with whatever is
true in other systems come about in the fulness of calm and careful
inquiry. I cannot but here remind the reader of what Dr. Wiseman has shewn
so strikingly in his lectures, how different new philosophic doctrines are
apt to appear after we have become somewhat familiar with them. Geology at
first seems inconsistent with the authority of the Mosaic record. A storm
of unreasoning indignation rises against its teachers. In time, its truths,
being found quite irresistible, are admitted, and mankind continue to
regard the Scriptures with the same respect as before. So also with several
other sciences. Now the only objection that can be made on such ground to
this book, is, that it brings forward some new hypotheses, at first sight,
like geology, not in perfect harmony with that record, and arranges all the
rest into a system which partakes of the same character. But may not the
sacred text, on a liberal interpretation, or with the benefit of new light
reflected from nature, or derived from learning, be shewn to be as much in
harmony with the novelties of this volume as it has been with geology and
natural philosophy? What is there in the laws of organic creation more
startling to the candid theologian than in the Copernican system or the
natural formation of strata? And if the whole series of facts is true, why
should we shrink from inferences legitimately flowing from it? Is it not a
wiser course, since reconciliation has come in so many instances, still to
hope for it, still to go on with our new truths, trusting that they also
will in time be found harmonious with all others? Thus we avoid the damage
which the very appearance of an opposition to natural truth is calculated
to inflict on any system presumed to require such support. Thus we give, as
is meet, a respectful reception to what is revealed through the medium of
nature, at the same time that we fully reserve our reverence for all we
have been accustomed to hold sacred, not one tittle of which it may
ultimately be found necessary to alter.
The End.
T. C. Savill, Printer, 107, St. Martin's
Lane.
[ Robert Chambers,
Vestiges of the
Natural History of Creation, 1st edition, 1844; James Secord,
ed., Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1994, pp. 387-390. ]
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