LITERARY NOTICES. 



275 



phrases are defined. Where there are sev- 

 eral possible catch-words in a phrase, cross- 

 references from the others to the one under 

 which the phrase is defined are liberally in- 

 serted. The mechanical execution of the 

 book is of a high grade. 



The Evolution op Woman. By Eliza Burt 

 Gamble. New York : G. P. Putnam's 

 Sons. Pp. 356. Price, $1.50. 



This work shows considerable research 

 and careful collating of testimony, but is 

 much stronger historically than scientific- 

 ally. The title is a misnomer. Not even an 

 attempt is made to show the evolution of 

 woman, or of the special aptitudes with which 

 the author endows her. When once she 

 appears upon the scene her development is 

 dropped and only her relationship with man 

 is discussed. The book might be more aptly 

 called The Rise and Fall of Woman, with a 

 Prophecy of her Renaissance. Beginning 

 with an account of the earliest forms of life 

 and proceeding to sex differentiation, the 

 author attempts to prove that the female 

 organization is generally superior to the 

 male throughout the organic world. Among 

 bees, aphides, and tadpoles it has been noted 

 that abundant nutrition, light, and moisture 

 result in females, while unfavorable condi- 

 tions give rise to males. Among plants 

 staminate flowers of)en first, and " the larch 

 bears female blossoms in its luxurious stage ; 

 but as soon as its vigor is lost, male flowers 

 appear." In the human race, more boys are 

 born after epidemics, wars, and famine. The 

 masculine element is, however, not only con- 

 ditioned upon starvation, but cases of re- 

 version and abnormities are much more 

 numerous with men, while their liability to 

 defective sight and color-blindness indicates 

 that the male power of vision is deteriorat- 

 ing. The author denies that the earlier 

 races of men lived in promiscuity and law- 

 lessness, and deems it more probable that, 

 as among birds and mammals, the females 

 were courted and held in honor. Subse- 

 quently kinship was reckoned through the 

 mother and a system of matriarchy estab- 

 lished. The prevalence of the gens and 

 early supremacy of woman is attested by the 

 feminine names given to tribes and countries 

 as well as by customs and allusions in his- 

 toric periods. The author has bestowed 



great care upon this part of her argument, 

 and it furnishes a plausible explanation of 

 wife-capture and divers obscure wedding 

 rites. 



The origin of marriage is described in no 

 gentle terms, the existence of love being ig- 

 nored. The early Grecian state is well de- 

 picted, and an excellent picture is given of 

 Spartan and Athenian women. The change 

 in the position of woman from her status 

 under early Roman law to that under the 

 Antonines, when the influence of Stoic phi- 

 losophy was felt, is also well brought out. 

 With the conclusion as well as with vai'ious 

 assertions scattered throughout the book it 

 is impossible to agree. Some are contrary 

 to observed and verified facts, and one prem- 

 ise has neither scientific authority to sup- 

 port it nor any evidence furnished in its 

 favor i. e., that the higher faculties are 

 transmitted through the female. It may 

 safely be said that there is no embryologist 

 or biologist so rash as to claim that one par- 

 ent transmits certain qualities exclusively. 

 Neither would any student of human nature 

 affirm that passion or affection was monopo- 

 lized by either sex. As to maternal love, 

 we do not know whether or not it is " di- 

 vine, uncreated," but we do know that pa- 

 ternal love is also a primary instinct, not 

 only strong in mankind, but found among 

 birds and fishes. All parental love, how- 

 ever, is a consequent, and it may be noticed 

 that hyperexaltation of it often follows 

 thwarting or lack of sexual love which is its 

 natural antecedent. 



Twelfth Annual Report of the United 

 States Geological Sdrvey, 1890-'91. 

 By J. W. Powell, Director. Part I, 

 Geology, pp. 675, with Map ; Part II, 

 Irrigation, pp. 576. Washington: Gov- 

 ernment Printing Office. 



During the year covered by the geologi- 

 cal report topographical work was carried on 

 by the survey in twenty- seven States and 

 Territories, and an area of 44,100 square 

 miles was surveyed and mapped. Geological 

 work went on on the two lines of the areal 

 distribution of formations and of the study 

 in field and office of various problems in 

 rock structure and history. New work was 

 instituted upon the mineral phosphates of 

 Florida, and in co-operation of the State 

 and national surveys in New Jersey. Pale- 



