SCIENTIFIC LITERATURE. 129 



with their leaves, the author describes the chief forms of leaves, but in such 

 a way as to indicate that each form results from an effort of the plant to 

 meet some particular need. Roots are described in the same way. Under 

 the headings How Plants Marry and Various Marriage Customs, the inter- 

 esting subjects of fertilization and the production of seed are explained. 

 In tbe chapter What Plants Do for their Young the chief provisions for 

 the dissemination of seeds and the nutrition of the germs within them are 

 described. Some acquaintance with the characteristics of the chief kinds 

 of plants is given under the heading Some Plant Biographies, where whit- 

 low grass, the Mexican agave, the beech tree, the vetch, the coltsfoot, etc., are 

 described. Throughout the book the reasons of things and the adaptation 

 of means to ends are made prominent. The author states that he has 

 <% freely admitted the main results of the latest investigations, accepting 

 throughout the evolutionary theory, and making the study of plants a first 

 introduction to the modern principles of heredity, variation, natural selec- 

 tion, and adaptation to the environment." He says further that he will be 

 disappointed if this little book does not lead the reader to pursue the sub- 

 ject in the fields and woods by the aid of a flora. We do not think he will 

 be disappointed. 



Is there any limit to the operation of the evolutionary process within 

 the universe as known to us ? Is man an exception, and does the popular 

 phrase * lord of creation " mark a real distinction ? Mr. Edmond Kelly * is 

 convinced that man is an exception now, although subject to evolution 

 during the earlier part of his career. Man has developed physically and 

 mentally as other animals have. In a struggle for existence he has shown 

 himself the fittest of all to survive. But now, says Mr. Kelly, this mode of 

 progress has stopped. Under the influence of religion man has developed 

 the faculty of choice and the power of self-restraint, and he is now repress- 

 ing some of the instincts by which he advanced during his evolutionary 

 period, thereby better fitting himself to live in the social relation. As a 

 member of society he has many grave problems before him, among which 

 Mr. Kelly calls especial attention to municipal misgovernment, pauperism, 

 socialism, and education. Religion is recommended as the guide to be fol- 

 lowed in solving them. It might be queried how religion is to remedy 

 the abuses in public affairs that have grown up when religion had a 

 stronger hold upon men than it has now. Mr. Kelly recognises that 

 abuses have grown up under and apparently in connection with religion, 

 but he affirms that theology and various clerical institutions were then 

 dominant rather than real religion. He would by no means bring back 

 the partnership of Church and State where it has been dissolved, but would 

 have religion govern individuals in their performance of social duties. It 

 might be supposed that it would be a matter of indifference to Mr. Kelly 

 whether religion or science were taken as the guide in social affairs, since 

 he takes pains to show that they reach the same goal. Perhaps he could 

 be brought to admit that, in a certain stage of their progress, men are less 

 fitted to follow the guidance of the former than that of the latter. At the 

 present time they are rapidly acquiring the capacity to govern their con- 

 duct on scientific principles, but they have so far had great trouble in keep- 



* Evolution and Effort By Edmond Kelly. New York : D. Appleton & Co. Pp. 297, 12mo. 

 Price, $1.25. 



YOL. XLVIII. 9 



