498 



THE POPULAR SCIENCE MONTHLY. 



and have laid out the enterprise on a com- 

 prehensive and judicious plan, and have 

 brought their own ability and experience, 

 aided by tlie best talent in the country, to 

 the execution of it. 



There is difficulty, in our space, in re- 

 viewing a work so elaborate as this, and so 

 packed with attractive statements that one 

 is tempted to read it through like a history ; 

 and all we can do is to convey to our read- 

 ers some idea of the quality and scope of its 

 contents. Among the subjects systemati- 

 cally and prominently treated are : 1. The 

 Theory of Education and Instruction, em- 

 bracing, under numerous headings, a state- 

 ment of the principles that have been ar- 

 rived at by scientific inquiry and practical 

 experience for guidance in the work of 

 teaching. These results apply to all the 

 grades of instruction and training, from the 

 Kindergarten up to the university. 2. The 

 Organization and Management of Schools, 

 including discipline, class-teaching, and the 

 art of instruction, or the general subject of 

 school economy. These topics are consid- 

 ered with the fullness that their obvious 

 importance requires. 3. Careful attention 

 is given to the administration of schools 

 and school systems, embracing supervision, 

 examination, school hygiene, school archi- 

 tecture, etc. 4. State Policy in relation to 

 Education, a subject of peculiar importance 

 in this country, not only because of the ex- 

 tent of legislative control over the subject, 

 but because of the diversity of government 

 action in the different States. 5. Much space 

 is devoted to the history of education, both 

 the general history of school methods and in- 

 stitutions in different parts of the world, and 

 particularly the history of the school systems 

 in the different States and Territories of this 

 country. 6. Biographical Notices of Emi- 

 nent Educators form a distinct and very at- 

 tractive branch of the work. 7. The Statis- 

 tics of Education, or the data of its extent 

 and progress, are comprehensively presented. 

 8. The subject of Educational Literature 

 forms a very interesting feature of the work, 

 and is ably handled. Of this the editors 

 say : " As the immense mass of material to 

 be condensed within the compass of a single 

 volume has necessitated the greatest possi- 

 ble brevity, references are made throughout 

 to standard works on educational science. 



as well as to statistical works, affording 

 more detailed information. It is believed 

 that this will prove one of the most valuable 

 features of the work." 



Besides these leading topics, which are 

 treated methodically in their various as- 

 pects, a great number of miscellaneous sub- 

 jects pertaining to human culture are so 

 fully presented as to enrich the volume and 

 greatly to increase its efficacy as a reference- 

 book for the teacher. The perusal of vari- 

 ous articles, which may be taken as repre- 

 sentative, has satisfied us of the painstaking 

 assiduity and excellent judgment of the 

 editors in carrying out the project. They 

 are not only the first in this country to do 

 the work, but they have evidently done it 

 so well that there will be no necessity of 

 again attempting it. "The Cyclopaedia of 

 Education " should be in every library, and 

 in the hands of every teacher. We may 

 add that the work is handsomely printed, 

 neatly and substantially bound, and forms 

 an inviting volume that is not too unwieldy 

 for habitual reference. It is sold exclusive- 

 ly to subscribers, and can be had only from 

 the special subscription agents, or from the 

 publisher. 



Reconciliation of Science and Religion. 

 By Alexander Winciiell, LL. D. 

 New York : Harper and Brothers. 

 Pp. 403. Price, $2. 



The question of the relations of sci- 

 ence and religion receives a new treatment 

 in this interesting volume. Though the 

 title of his book brings into prominence 

 the idea of peace, or of a terminated con- 

 flict, yet the work itself, it must be said, is 

 mainly occupied with the antagonism. The 

 warfare is historic and a living struggle of 

 to-day; the reconciliation a promise of the 

 future. But, in respect to the questions at 

 issue. Dr. Winchell claims to take a non- 

 partisan attitude, favorable to a calm and 

 fair survey of the field of controversy. At 

 any rate, he does not try to end the strife 

 by belittling it. The opposition between 

 religion and science is not illusive ; he rec- 

 ognizes its reality, its extent, its impor- 

 tance, and its difficulties. He seems, in- 

 deed, to regard it as a part of the great 

 system of conflicts and counteractions in 

 Nature, such as attraction and repulsion, 



