78 Eeviews — Hutchinson^ s Prehistoric Man and Beast. 



his judgment. This is not surprising when we read in the Preface 

 by Sir Henry Howorth : " My only hesitation in speaking of the 

 book in suitable terras is the exaggerated language which he has been 

 good enough to use about some of my own scattered and desultory 

 gleanings in this field," Nor is it surprising when we read in the 

 author's Preface : " Sir Henry H, Howorth has talcen an interest 

 in this work from the beginning, and most kindly read all the 

 proofs, making at the same time valuable notes and comments, 

 which the writer was not slow to use. He has also written a far 

 too flattering Preface, which, coming from so learned an author 

 and so kind a friend, deserves the writei"'s warmest thanks." 

 After this we are quite prepared for an exposition with approval 

 of some of Sir Henry's peculiar views : and in this respect we are 

 not disappointed. 



In his Introduction the author remarks that he makes no attempt 

 to deal with modern speculations regarding the origin of Man from 

 a lower type : " Suffice it to say that he bears in his body the signs 

 of his lowly origin ; and that nearly all thinking people of the 

 present day fail to see anything in such a belief contrary to true 

 theology, or to consider that there is anything degi-ading in the 

 idea." This view maj^ at any rate, be commended for its 

 boldness. 



That the germs of many modern views may be discerned in the 

 writings of the ancients, is to a certain extent true enough ; and it is 

 interesting to be reminded that in the days of Job ("if ever such 

 a person lived "), there were obsei'vers of geological phenomena. 

 Another writer, indeed, has remarked that to Job probably we owe 

 the hint of the Atlantic Cable, for he was asked — " Canst thou send 

 lightnings, that they may go, and say unto thee, Here we are ? " 

 Be this as it may, a reference to the opinion of the wise men of old, 

 whether historians, naturalists, or philosophers, is instructive, and 

 no one need be surprised to be told that " the account of the 

 Creation in the opening chapters of Genesis implies evolution." 



Starting from the evolutionist's standpoint, the author devotes his 

 first chapter to a consideration of " Our Early Ancestors." He 

 gives an account of the discoveries of Palaeolithic implements, and 

 of supposed remains of Palaeolithic Man, treating the subject in 

 a very fair and judicious spirit. He hesitates to accept the higher 

 antiquity assigned to the plateau implements of Kent, and he is 

 quite disposed to accept the human remains found at Galley Hill as 

 belonging to a man of the Eiver-drift period. With regard to the 

 position of the implements found at Caddington and elsewhere, it 

 should be remarked that the " contorted drift " there noticed is 

 simply a disturbed surface of the brickearth or gravel, such as is 

 often seen in the Thames Valley deposits. It has no connection 

 with the Contorted Drift of the Cromer coast, nor has it been shown 

 to have anything to do with the Chalky Boulder-clay. The author 

 thinks " there can be little doubt of the former presence of floating 

 ice here " ; but soil-movements connected with freezing and thawing 

 would have been quite adequate to produce the phenomena. 



