258 Bibliographical Notices. 



BIBLIOGRAPHICAL NOTICES. 



Manual of Geology, Theoretical and Practical. By John Phillips, 

 LL.D., F.R.S. In Two Parts.— Part I. Physical Geology and 

 Palaeontology. By Harry Govier Seeley, P. U.S. With Tables 

 and Illustrations. 8vo. Pp. xiv and 546. London : Charles 

 Griffin & Co., 1885. 



This is preeminently the age of geological text-books. Within the 

 past few years we have had most elaborate manuals from two of 

 the leading geologists on either side of the Atlantic, to say nothing 

 of several excellent text-books from the pens of other writers. From 

 time to time also the standard works of Lyell and of Murchison 

 have been brought up to date. But, until the present work came 

 out, no one thought of bringing the manual of the late Prof. Phillips 

 into line with the modern advance of the science. Some may have 

 thought the experiment a dangerous one, savouring, it might be, of 

 putting new wine into old bottles, with the usual risk to both 

 attendant on the process. 



Despite the great advances which have been made in geological 

 studies during the last thirty years, the general principles and 

 philosophy of geology had been pretty well laid down by the year 

 1855, which was the date of the last edition of this work. Hence 

 the author of the present volume (Physical Geology and Palaeonto- 

 logy) has done well to retain every page of the original work which 

 appeared to him in any way valuable, so that the spirit of the old 

 book might be preserved. The late Professor Phillips had a wonder- 

 fully pleasant way of putting things, and it would scarcely have 

 been doing justice to his philosophy and erudition to have omitted 

 more than was absolutely necessary except in those cases (inevitable 

 in a growing science) where subsequent investigation had shown 

 that he was not quite correct in his conclusions. 



" In endeavouring to sustain that part of the titlepage which 

 describes the manual as theoretical " Professor Seeley says, " I 

 have drawn to some extent upon theoretical views enunciated in 

 my lectures during the ten years from 1860 to 1870, for which 

 Professor Sedgwick deputed to me the practical teaching of Physical 



Geology and Palaeontology in the University of Cambridge 



The work will be found 'practical too ; for it aims throughout, by 

 indicating localities where phenomena may be seen, at enabling 

 every one to verify, and study in nature, the statements and ideas 

 which are herein set forth.'' 



As an appropriate introduction to Physical Geology we have a 

 chapter on the earth's density, shape, structure, and origin. A 

 useful resume of the leading facts bearing on these points is given, 

 the last subject conducting inevitably to cosmical speculation. The 

 author, bearing in mind that he is writing for students, speaks of 

 Mr. Croll's climate-in-time theory, which is based on the excen- 

 tricity of the earth's orbit, as an hypothesis, which on astronomical 

 grounds is speculative, but not impossible, and deserving of atten- 



