Mr。Southall’smethodwassubstantiallythatofthelateexcellentMr。Gosseingeology。Mr。Gosse，asthereadersofthisworkmayremember，feltobliged，inthesupposedinterestofGenesis，tourgethatsafetytomen’ssoulsmightbefoundinbelievingthat，sixthousandyearsago，theAlmighty，forsomeinscrutablepurpose，suddenlysetNiagarapouringverynearthespotwhereitispouringnow；laidthevariousstrata，andsprinkledthefossilsthroughthemlikeplumsthroughapudding；
scratchedtheglacialgroovesupontherocks，anddidavastmultitudeofthings，subtleandcunning，littleandgreat，inallpartsoftheworld，requiredtodeludegeologistsofmoderntimesintotheconvictionthatallthesethingsweretheresultofasteadyprogressthroughlongepochs。Onasimilarplan，Mr。
Southallproposed，attheverybeginningofhisbook，asafinalsolutionoftheproblem，thedeclarationthatEgypt，withitshighcivilizationinthetimeofMena，withitsraces，classes，institutions，arrangements，language，monuments——allindicatinganevolutionthroughavastprevioushistory——wasasuddencreationwhichcamefullymadefromthehandsoftheCreator。Tousehisownwords，“TheEgyptianshadnoStoneage，andwereborncivilized。”
ThereisanoldstorythatonceonatimeacertainjovialKingofFrance，makingaprogressthroughhiskingdom，wasreceivedatthegatesofaprovincialtownbythemayor’sdeputy，whobeganhisspeechonthiswise：“MayitpleaseyourMajesty，therearejustthirteenreasonswhyHisHonourtheMayorcannotbepresenttowelcomeyouthismorning。Thefirstofthesereasonsisthatheisdead。”Onthisthekinggraciouslydeclaredthatthisfirstreasonwassufficient，andthathewouldnottroublethemayor’sdeputyforthetwelveothers。
SowithMr。Southall’sargument：onesimpleresultofscientificresearchoutofmanyisallthatitisneedfultostate，andthisis，thatintheselateryearswehaveanewandconvincingevidenceoftheexistenceofprehistoricmaninEgyptinhisearliest，rudestbeginnings；theverysameevidencewhichwefindinallotherpartsoftheworldwhichhavebeencarefullyexamined。ThisevidenceconsistsofstoneimplementsandweaponswhichhavebeenfoundinEgyptinsuchforms，atsuchpoints，andinsuchpositionsthatwhenstudiedinconnectionwiththosefoundinallotherpartsoftheworld，fromNewJerseytoCalifornia，fromFrancetoIndia，andfromEnglandtotheAndamanIslands，theyforceuponustheconvictionthatcivilizationinEgypt，asinallotherpartsoftheworld，wasdevelopedbythesameslowprocessofevolutionfromtherudestbeginnings。