264 



♦ KNOWLEDGE ♦ 



[Sept. 26, 1884. 



mation, abuse, frothy rhetoric, perversion of science, dis- 

 tortion of Scripture, ascription of moral obliquity to 

 opponents, and assumption of infallibility on the part of 

 the disputants, which has recently been rained upon us in 

 the shape of (so-called) " Reconciliations," it is perfectly 

 delightful to turn to the calm, judicial, scholarly, and pre- 

 eminently tolerant work of Professor Drummond, now 

 before us. For surely no more able contribution than this 

 to the polemics of natural theology has been made for a 

 very long time indeed. Starting with the assumption that 

 law reigns as supreme in the spiritual woi-ld as it does in 

 the material imiverse, our author sets himself to show, with 

 impressive ingenuity, how every natural law has its 

 spiritual analogue ; and so essays to remove certain 

 stumbling-blocks, and throw light upon more than one 

 obscure problem which religion presents. Mr. Drummond 

 frankly accepts the modern doctrine of evolution in its 

 entirety, quoting freely from Herbert Spencer, Darwin, 

 Huxley, &c., in support of his views. His obviously great 

 personal familiarity with biological science enables him to 

 derive some of bis most telling illustrations from the more 

 recondite phenomena of the development of life ; and there 

 is something admirable in the ability with which he co- 

 ordinates and shows the absolute parallelism of the laws 

 regulating that development with the fundamental principles 

 of Christianity. His style is charming, his diction essen- 

 tially that of a scholar and a man of refined taste. Hence 

 his book is an eminently readable one. That it will make 

 numerotis converts from the ranks of a mere stupid atheism 

 it would be too much to expect. That, however, it will 

 remove some of the doubts, and strengthen and comfort 

 thousands of religious men, whose faith has been sorely 

 strained by honest philosophical misgivings, it seems im- 

 possible to qu( stion. Professor Drummond has given us a 

 most remarkable volume. 



Lectures on Teachinr/, by J. G. Fitch, M.A. ; General 

 Aims of the Teacher: Two lectures by F. \V. Farr.^b, D.D., 

 and R. B. Poole, B.D. ; Three Lectures on the Practice of 

 Education, by H. W. Eve, M.A., Arthur Sidgwick, 

 M.A., and E. A. Abbott, M.A., D.D. (Cambridge Uni- 

 versity Press.) — We have classed these three works together 

 as valuable and important contributions to the science, as 

 well as to the mere art, of education. Mr. Fitch's work, 

 in particular, is so exhaustive in its details that no one 

 engaged in practical educational work can afl'ord to neglect 

 its perusal. Even did he speak with less authority than 

 that to which he is justly entitled, the intimate knowledge 

 of his subject which he displays, nay, the mere common 

 sense of his remarks, must commend his lectures to the 

 careful study of all concerned in the welfare and intellec- 

 tual advancement of the rising generation. Canon Farrar's 

 lecture on "The General Aims of the Teacher" forms 

 really a charming piece of readiug for anybody, containing 

 as it does a record of his own personal experiences, con- 

 veyed with all that charm of style for which his writings 

 are distinguished ; while Mr. Poole's, if not quite equal to 

 it in a literary point of view, is important as conveying the 

 views of one so experienced as its author. The mere names 

 of the authors of the three lectures in the work whose title 

 concludes our heading will suffice to indicate their practical 

 and technical value. 



A Sketcli of Ancient Philosophy from Thales to Cicero, 

 by J. B. Mayor, M.A. (Cambridge University Press.) — 

 Concise, without being bald, and commendably free from 

 metaphysical jargon, Mr. Mayor's history of philosophy, 

 extending over a period of nearly 600 years, will be wel- 

 comed by the student who wishes to gain clear ideas of the 

 progress of human thought from the time of the illustrious 

 Miletian down to that of the mighty Roman orator. That 



ancient philosophy was not all logomachy, nor the utterances 

 of the sages of the past mere " Souud and fury, signifying 

 nothing," a perusal of Mr. Mayor's work will speedily 

 convince the reader. 



Tlce Camhridffe Bible for Schools and Colleges. Job, 

 edited by A. B. Davidson, D.D., LL.D. ; St. Luke, edited 

 by Canon Farrar, D.D. (Cambridge: University Press.) 

 — Judging from the two instalments of the work before us, 

 we have, so far, seen nothing to surpass, even if we have 

 met with anything to equal, this admirable Bible Com- 

 mentary. Beginning with Dr. Davidson's volume, we may 

 say that while he does not deny the historical existence of 

 Job, he yet regards the book so-called as a sacred drama or 

 poem, composed at the very earliest during the reign of 

 Solomon. The reasons for this are given at length in the 

 admirable introduction. The student who wiU re-peruse 

 the book of Job in the light of Dr. Davidson's exegesis, 

 cannot fail to derive both instruction and pleasure from it 

 It seems needless to say more in connection with the 

 volume containing St. Luke's Gospel, than that the sound 

 learning and literary ability for which the Canon of West- 

 minster is renowned are conspicuous in a commentary 

 which must render the most valuable aid to every reader 

 of the New Testament. 



Tlie A B C of Modern {Dry Plate) Photography. 

 (London : The London Stereoscopic Company.) — Reading 

 through the most explicit and detailed description of each 

 successive step in the production of a photograph given 

 in the little volume before us, from focussing the camera to 

 drying the finished prints, it would really seem as though 

 nothing short of actual aberration of intellect could prevent 

 any one who will peruse it with common care from 

 becoming a successful photographer. The beginner is told 

 not only what to do, but what 'not to do ; the causes of 

 failure are clearly pointed out, and numerous illustra- 

 tions supplement the text. Verily, this is the A B C of 

 photography. 



Tricycling for Ladies. This excellent little book has 

 been written by a lady for ladies. Miss Ertkine describes 

 the machine and its accessories, the use of the machine, 

 ladies' tricycling dress, the best method of riding, touring, 

 the bye-laws applicable to tricycles, and concludes with 

 some remarks on sketching and photography for lady riders. 

 Under every heading will be found much interesting and 

 useful information which could only be obtained by con- 

 siderable experience. The book is very neatly written, 

 and beautifully printed, and we can strongly recommend it 

 to any lady about to commence tricycling, or those who 

 are now cycling and wish for hints which will assist them 

 in this most healthful recreation. From the apt quotation 

 on the title-page to the last sentence on photography, every 

 line is to the purpose. 



Merry Matches, the popular new round game for children, 

 containing thirty-one original coloured drawings of popular 

 nursery characters (Wyman ct Sons, 74-76, Great Queen- 

 street, London, W.C.) — In the packet of cards now before 

 us we have, perhaps, one of the most striking examples of 

 the progress that Las arisen from the valuable modem 

 systems of juvenile education. To cultivate the tastes of 

 the young by providing them with an entertaining game in 

 which the whole merry circle can join, and to guide their 

 thoughts into the many happy incidents of their nursery 

 life, to Old Mother Hubbard, Dick Whittington, Cinderella, 

 Father Christmas, <tc., by means of beautifully limned and 

 coloured illustrations, is, we think, so praiseworthy an effort 

 and productive of so very much that is to be highly prized 

 in the development of retined tastes in the young, that we 

 feel it our duty, in the interests of all those who are 



