312 LAUGEL'S PROBLEMS OF NATURE AND LIFE. 



which now more than ever tend to give it unity as 

 a whole. He is not, we believe, himself a practical 

 labourer in the field. If this be a disadvantage, there 

 is some compensation for it in the larger and more im- 

 partial scope given to that intelligence which seeks to 

 combine elements of knowledge separate in their ear- 

 lier growth, but now claiming to be blended by higher 

 generalisations. Our author stands fully on a level 

 with the scientific acquirements of his 'time, as well 

 as with those doctrines and speculations which have 

 recently grown out of them. In truth, he everywhere 

 shows himself disposed to adopt the latter in their 

 extremest form. Whether from natural temperament 

 of mind (a powerful agent even in the acceptance of 

 scientific evidence), or from other causes, he boldly 

 confronts, and handles without reserve, all older and 

 more orthodox opinions on the great questions he 

 approaches. The volumes before us, small in size as 

 books, while thus large and bold in scope, are neces- 

 sarily wanting in many of those details and illustrations 

 which novel opinions require for their justification. 

 This gives an aspect of dogmatism to M. Laugel's 

 writings ; not," indeed, without some reality, from the 

 evident bias of mind to which we have just alluded. 

 He often expresses as established truths things which 

 are still matter of doubt and controversy. 



Apart from this comment, we can give unequivocal 

 praise to the style of these volumes. M. Laugel has an 

 epigrammatic felicity of expression frequent in French 

 writers even on the most abstruse topics. He is occa- 

 sionally somewhat too florid in phrase, but there is no 



