The human similitude at last appears in the character of the monkey; the monkey rises into the baboon, the baboon is exalted to the ourang-outang, and the chimpanzee, with a more human toe and shorter arms, gives birth to man."[42] The remarks which were offered, in the previous section, on Cosmical Development, are equally applicable, _mutatis mutandis_, to this other form of the doctrine of Creation by Natural Law.

It might be shown, with reference to the supposed generation of plants and animals, just as it was then shown with reference to the generation of planets and astral systems, first, that the theory rests upon a mere hypothesis, which is utterly unsupported by experimental evidence; secondly, that the progress of science has hitherto afforded no ground to believe that the transmutation of species is provided for under the established constitution of nature; and, thirdly, that even were the theory admitted, it would not destroy the evidence of Theism, any more than the propagation of plants and animals under the existing system, which, so far from excluding or impairing, serves rather to enhance and illustrate the proof of creative wisdom and power.

In support of this last position, we might adduce the testimony of the author of "The Vestiges" himself; for, referring to the idea that "to presume a creation of living beings by the intervention of law" is equivalent to "superseding the whole doctrine of the Divine authorship of organic nature," he takes occasion to say, "Were this true, it would form a most important objection to the Law theory; but I think it is not only not true, but the reverse of the truth.

As formerly stated, the whole idea of law relates only to the mode in which the Deity is pleased to manifest His power in the natural world.

It leaves the absolute fact of His authorship of and supremacy over Nature precisely where it was." He adds, in the words of Dr.Buckland, "Such an aboriginal constitution, so far from superseding an Intelligent Agent, would only exalt our conceptions of the consummate skill and power that could comprehend such an infinity of future uses under future systems, in the original groundwork of His Creation."[43] But, without enlarging on those general considerations which were formerly stated, and which admit of an easy and obvious application to this _second_ form of the theory, we shall offer a few remarks bearing directly on its distinctive peculiarities, and directed to the exposure of its radical defects.
The theory rests on two very precarious foundations: the assumption of _spontaneous generation_, on the one hand, and the assumption of a _transmutation of species_ on the other.