320 QUARTERLY JOURNAL. 



Chemistry as Exemplitsinq the Wisdom and Beneficence of God : By George Fownev \ 

 p. H. D. New- York, Wiley & Putnam. Philadelphia, J. W. Moore. 1844, pp. 158^ ' 

 12ino* Price 50 cents. 



This work is a Prize Essay, prepared by the author in fulfilment 

 of an appointment by the President, Managers and Members of the 

 Royal Institution of Great Britain, a committee, charged witb| 

 the execution of a bequest of jeiOOO, the interest of which is tc 

 be devoted septennially as a prize for the best essay, illustrative 

 of the wisdom and benificence of the Almighty,* The subject I 

 selected for the first essay is announced in the title page- as abovCrj 

 ' The range and foundation of the argument demonstrating the 

 goodness and benevolence of God, as illustrated in the chemistry of 

 organic and inorganic substances, may be seen in the special sub- 

 jects of the essay. The order in which they stand is as follows : 



1 . The Chemical History of the Earth and the atmosphere. 



2. The peculiarities which characterize organic substances gen- 

 erally. 



3. The composition and sustenance of Plants. 



4. The relations existing between plants and animals. 



The critical notices of this work have been uniformly kind and 

 flattering to its author, both as to value of its matter and the clear-,)! 

 ness of the argument and the simplicity of its style. 



For an illustration of its character, we give the following quo- 

 tation from the 106-7 pp., almost at random, on the cause and 

 source of animal heat : 



" Carbon and hydrogen are burned in the blood, and this to an extent which will strike 

 with surprise, and at first, incredulity, those unaccustomed to such considerations. Many 

 ounces of carbon are, in every individual, daily rejected from the lungs as carbonic acid. 

 It ia impossible that combustible matter can thus be disposed of without the evoludon of a 

 vast amount of heat ; as much heat, in fact, as if it had been burnt in a fire grate. 



This heat is manifest in the elevation of temperature which the animal frairie always 

 possesses above that of the surrounding medium; an elevation of temperature always in 

 the direct proportion to the amount of nervous and muscular energy ol the animal, and 

 the vigor of respiration, but never in any single case altogether absent. 

 The internal capillary combustion is the sottrce of anivial heat. 



Thus much for the body. Every part where blood-ves.-els are to be found ; every part, 

 where nervous influence is perceptible ; every organ, every tissue ; muscle, and brain, and 

 Uerve, and membrane, waste away hke a burning taper, consume to air and ashes, and 

 pass from the system, rejected and useless ; and where no means are at hand /or repair- 

 ing these daily and hourly losses, the individual perishes — dies more slowly but nut less 

 anrely, than by a blazing pile. He is, to the very 1 ttcr, burned to death at a low tempera- 

 ture; the various constituents of the body give way in succe-sion ; fiist, the fat disappears ; 



* This fund owes is existence to the Uberality of the late Samuel Acton, Esq.) of Euston 

 Squaret Eng. 



