[Footnote 1:  Suarez; Metaphysica.  Edition Vives.  Paris, 1868, vol. i.  Disput. xv.  Sec. 2.]

Still more distinctly does Mr. Mivart express himself, in the same sense, in his last chapter, entitled “Theology and Evolution” (pp. 302-5).

“It appears, then, that Christian thinkers are perfectly free to accept the general evolution theory.  But are there any theological authorities to justify this view of the matter?

“Now, considering how extremely recent are these biological speculations, it might hardly be expected a priori that writers of earlier ages should have given expression to doctrines harmonizing in any degree with such very modern views; nevertheless, this is certainly the case, and it would be easy to give numerous examples.  It will be better, however, to cite one or two authorities of weight.  Perhaps no writer of the earlier Christian ages could be quoted whose authority is more generally recognized than that of St. Augustin.  The same may be said of the mediaeval period for St. Thomas Aquinas:  and since the movement of Luther, Suarez may be taken as an authority, widely venerated, and one whose orthodoxy has never been questioned.

“It must be borne in mind that for a considerable time even after the last of these writers no one had disputed the generally received belief as to the small age of the world, or at least of the kinds of animals and plants inhabiting it.  It becomes, therefore, much more striking if views formed under such a condition of opinion are found to harmonize with modern ideas concerning ‘Creation’ and organic Life.

“Now St. Augustin insists in a very remarkable manner on the merely derivative sense in which God’s creation of organic forms is to be understood; that is, that God created them by conferring on the material world the power to evolve them under suitable conditions.”

Mr. Mivart then cites certain passages from St. Augustin, St. Thomas Aquinas, and Cornelius a Lapide, and finally adds:—­

“As to Suarez, it will be enough to refer to Disp. xv. sec. 2, No. 9, p. 508, t.i. edition Vives, Paris; also Nos. 13—­15.  Many other references to the same effect could easily be given, but these may suffice.

“It is then evident that ancient and most venerable theological authorities distinctly assert derivative creation, and thus their teachings harmonize with all that modern science can possibly require.”

It will be observed that Mr. Mivart refers solely to Suarez’s fifteenth Disputation, though he adds, “Many other references to the same effect could easily be given.”  I shall look anxiously for these references in the third edition of the “Genesis of Species.”  For the present, all I can say is, that I have sought in vain, either in the fifteenth Disputation, or elsewhere, for any passage in Suarez’s writings which, in the slightest degree, bears out Mr. Mivart’s views as to his opinions.[1]