3;58 MacjCulloch's System of Geology. 



The walls of our venerable fabric may have crumbled into dust ; 

 the altar may have disappeared from its hallowed site ; and the 

 ministering priests may have been enshrined beneath, while its 

 pillars, like those of " Tadmor in the wilderness," may re- 

 main to attest in sullen grandeur that time has spared but its 

 locality and its name. 



Akt. XXIII — A System of Geology, with a Theory of the 

 Earth, and an explanation of its connection with the Sacred 

 Records. By John MacCulloch, M. D., F. R. S., &c. In 

 two volumes, 8vo. Pp. 512 and 483. 



We have not for a long time met with a book of more pro- 

 mise and less fulfilment than the one before us. It has neither 

 the merit of strikingly original, though crude views, nor of 

 sound unostentatious philosophy, — nor of a luminous exposi- 

 tion of facts, — nor of a happy effort of generalization, — nor of 

 ability of historic detail, — nor, finally, least of all that it pre- 

 tends to, of being a " System 11 fitted for the use of the student. 

 It is also wanting in an eminent degree in that which may re- 

 commend even an indifferent work to the leniency of the rea- 

 der, — its being written in a good spirit, and with a candid de- 

 sire to do justice to those who have pre-occupied the same 

 field. This very fact is enough to convey unfavourable im- 

 pressions of the character of the Avork, which a more careful 

 scrutiny will not perhaps tend to dispel. 



The idea of a " System of Geology" 1 at this day, with- 

 out frequent and honourable mention of the names and 

 labours of Cuvier, Brongniart, Humboldt, Von Buch, Sedge- 

 wick, Buckland, Murchison, Smith, and many others whom 

 we need not attempt to enumerate, seems almost a contra- 

 diction in terms ; and as Dr MacCulloch confines himself 

 in a great measure to the field of his labours in Scotland, 

 we might more particularly have expected to meet with 

 abundant references to the writings of Saussure, and Boue, 

 and Jameson, and Hibbert ; instead of which we find 

 these two volumes absolutely innocent (we believe) of foot 

 notes, without reference to the works, and, with a few rare 

 exceptions, without mention of the names of these fellow la- 



