constitutes the essence of Mr. Gladstone's "fourfold division,
set forth in an orderly succession of times." It is, that the
animal species which compose the water-population, the air-
population, and the land-population respectively, originated
during three distinct and successive periods of time, and only
during those periods of time.

This statement appears to me to be the interpretation of Genesis
which Mr. Gladstone supports, reduced to its simplest
expression. "Period of time" is substituted for "day";
"originated" is substituted for "created"; and "any order
required" for that adopted by Mr. Gladstone. It is necessary to
make this proviso, for if "day" may mean a few million years,
and "creation" may mean evolution, then it is obvious that the
order (1) water-population, (2) air-population, (3) land-
population, may also mean (1) water-population, (2) land-
population, (3) air-population; and it would be unkind to bind
down the reconcilers to this detail when one has parted with so
many others to oblige them.

But even this sublimated essence of the pentateuchal doctrine
(if it be such) remains as discordant with natural science
as ever.

It is not true that the species composing any one of the three
populations originated during any one of three successive
periods of time, and not at any other of these.

Undoubtedly, it is in the highest degree probable that animal
life appeared first under aquatic conditions; that terrestrial