490 Bibliographical Notices. 



BIBLIOGRAPHICAL NOTICES. 



Beitraye zur Naturgeschichte der Turbellarien. Von Dr. Max. Si- 

 gismund Schulze : Greifswald, 1851. 



Contributions to the Natural History of the Turbellaria. By Dr. 

 Max. S. Schulze. 



This is an especially German book. To a considerable, and happily 

 an increasing, number of English naturalists the meaning of this epi- 

 thet is plain enough, but we fear that there is a still larger number 

 to whom it will be very doubtful whether thereby we confer praise or 

 blame. 



To these the term "German" has a dire and mystical import, 

 compounded of " Rumpel-Stiltskin," the writings of Mr. Carlyle, and 

 Oken's * Physiophilosophy,' the chief sources whence their knowledge 

 of the literature and science of our Saxon fatherland is derived ; the 

 resulting impression being, for the most part, that the secret of Ger- 

 man authorship consists in writing what is unintelligible in the greatest 

 possible number of capital letters. 



Doubtless there is something of truth in this popular impression, 

 as in all popular impressions ; but it may be worth while to look 

 further into the matter. 



The cloud of dust in the desert may be kicked up by a mere troop 

 of wild asses ; but the wise traveller will remember that it may also 

 hide the strength of an army. 



Dust enough about the tents of our German sheiks there indubi- 

 tably is, and good Mr. Bull, averse in his very nature to everything 

 that is not neat, trim, close-shaven and well-brushed, will see nothing 

 else, and passes by on the other side with coughs, curses, and a copious 

 pouring forth of such adjectives as cloudy, mystical, metaphysical, 

 and, if the worst come to the worst, perhaps pantheistical. 



Yet, as we said before, it may be well not to sit down finally in this 

 belief. 



In the domain of literature and critical learning it is coming to be 

 a very current opinion, that whatever be the practical results, in pur- 

 pose and aim Germany is ahead of us. There is a laborious attention 

 to details combined with a philosophic breadth of view and freedom 

 of speculation ; — there is an earnest piety in the search after truth, 

 joined to the widest toleration for results, which, though not un- 

 known, is far too little known on this side of the water. 



It would be impossible for one branch of human activity to stand 

 alone in these respects, and German science has not escaped the noble 

 contagion of the example of German literature. It may be fearlessly 

 asserted, that in no country does science as a whole stand on so high 

 a footing as in Germany. 



In no other country do the savans so clearly comprehend the great 

 truth, that the man of science is also an artist — that he should strive 

 to give a roundness, a symmetry, and a completeness to all his works, 

 however small and seemingly insignificant, and that in proportion as 



