Cotwersaiions on Geology, 468 



of the group to which they belong, and become herbivorous 

 instead of carnivorous, their destruction would be desirable; 

 while, on the contrary, if they destroy the devourers of our 

 produce, their preservation should be attempted.*' (vol. i. 

 p. 140.) 



Did our space permit, we could multiply extracts of similar 

 interest, though the merit of the work does not depend so 

 much on details of this kind, as on its profound, minute, and 

 accurate science, in which department Mr. Stephens could not 

 be easily surpassed. We cannot but heartily wish all success 

 to a work so eminently deserving the patronage of the British 

 public. J. R. 



A RT. II. Conversations on Geology : comprising a Familiar Ea^ 

 plajiation of the Huttonian and Wernerian Systems ; the Mosaic 

 Geology as explained by Mr, Granville Penn ; the late Discove- 

 ries of Professor Bucklandt Humboldt, Dr. Macculloch, and 

 others. 1 vol. 12mo, with coloured engravings and wood-cut8> 

 pp.371. Maunder, London, 1828. . / ^ *' 



We have no wish to retract the very favourable opinion 

 which we expressed of this work, when it was first put into 

 our hands (see p. 280.) ; but, in order to put it in the power 

 of our readers to judge for themselves, we shall now give 

 some account of its plan and execution. 



The author, as will appear from the title, has rejected (we 

 think, wisely) the obsolescent catechetical method formerly so 

 fashionable, and has in some measure followed the classical 

 models of Xenophon, Plato, and Cicero. This, it has been 

 observed by a contemporary reviewer, as a method of exciting 

 interest and affording room for apt illustrations, is immeasur- 

 ably beyond the clumsy, dry, and lifeless plan too frequently 

 followed, of question and answer, inasmuch as it carries with 

 it the thread of a narrative, which the question and answer 

 system is perpetually snapping asunder. According to the 

 latter plan, we might expect, in a Catechism of Geology, some 

 such beginning as the following : — 



Ques. — What is meant by geology ? 



Ans. — By geology is meant the science of the earth's for- 

 mation and changes. 



Ques. — Of how many parts does the science of geology 

 consist ? ■ 



Answ. — The science of geology consists of four parts. 

 &c. &c. &c. 



1 1 4 



