348 Analysis of Scientific Books. 



tlie» extended and minute description of tlic caves in Germany, 

 cdtitained in the present volume and the undiminished zeal with 

 which Mr. Buckland is, as we are informed, at present pursuing 

 his geological investigations. 



To the Editor of the Journal of Science, Sfc. 

 Sir, 



The candour and liberality by which your excellent Journal is so honour- 

 ably distinguished, lead me to hope that you will admit a few observations, 

 intended to remove an impression to the disadvantage of a highly respect- 

 able character. 



In the review of " A Comparative Estimate of the Mineral and Mosaical 

 Geologies," by Granville Penn, Esq., No. 29, page 112, is the following- 

 passage : " De Luc would not use the term created, ' because,' said he, ' iu 

 physics 1 ought not to employ expressions which are not tlioroughly under- 

 stood lietween men." Our author reprobates his conduct and his argument 

 with just severity : " Was he aware," says Mr. Penn, " that in excluding 

 the word, he at the same time excluded the idea associated with the word, 

 and together witli the idea, the principle involved in that idea ; the exclu- 

 sion of which is the very parent cause of all materialism and all atheism." 

 The reader of this paragraph, if unacquainted with the writings and the 

 character of Mr. De Luc, will certainly suppose that he did not believe, or 

 at least thoiight it unphilosophical to acknowledge, that " in the beginning 

 God created the heavens and the earth;" and the memory of one of the 

 best and most pious of men may be injured by those who are ably defend- 

 ing the same cause which it was the busine.ss of his life, and the object of 

 all his writings, to advocate. In the introductory chapter to " L'Histoire 

 de la Terrs et de I'Homme," Vol.1, page 22, he says : " Je declare des 

 I'entr^e, que la consequence immediate de toute la partie physique de cet 

 Duvrage est, que la Gen^se, le premier de nos livres sacr6es, renferme la 

 vrai histoire du monde ; c'est a dire, que I'^tude de la terre nous en montre 

 les plus grands traits, et n'en contredit aucun." 



Page 50. " Je suis convaincu de la certitude de la revelation et j'ap- 

 porte ma petite contribution dans ses moyens de defense." — " J'entrepris 

 d'observer le monde moral et physique; je lus ce qu'en disoient les philoso- 

 phes, et bientdt je soup<;onnai que ceux qui abandonnoient Moyse voyoient 

 mal on raisonnoient sans examen." 



After having, with the assistance of his brother, devoted thirty years to 

 actual observation of the present state of the earth, Mr. De Luc says : 

 " Lorsque nous fumes persuades, par I'^tude des phenom^nes, que le recit 

 de Moyse sur I'histoire de notre globe etoit le seul systtme vrai, nous for- 

 mames le dessein d'en instruire ceux qui ne recherchent pas." — Vol. 5. 

 page 759. 



The whole intentionofDe Luc's writings, during the course of a long life, 

 is to confirm the Mosaic account of the creation and the deluge by accurate 

 investig 

 the Del 



mate, iSf, _ ^ 



warm approbation. The only circumstance in which De Luc maj; appear to 

 depart <rom the literal sense of the first chapter of Genesis, is with regard 

 to the length of the period there called a day. Whether he was right or 

 wrong in his ideas on that subject I do not presume to decide, but he cer- 

 tainly had no intention to deviate from the meaning of Moses, for every part 

 of his work is written to support the authority of Scripture. Those who 

 will take the trouble to look into his fifth volume, page 630, will find a clear 

 account of his sentiments, which 1 should injure ny attempting to curtail it. 

 I could prove what I have here asserted from almost every page of his 

 numerous publications, and particularly from his Letters to 31. Le Tellier ; 

 but 1 will only beg leave to call your attention to the passage wliich you 

 say Mr. Penn " reprobates with jwsf severity." According to this gentle- 

 man's translation, De Luc says : ' I shall not say created, because in phy- 

 sics I ought not to employ expressions which are not thoroughly understood 

 between men." The original is given in a note, and the words are, " Je 



